a 


ELINOR.  GUYN 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


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MAR  ?f  1320 


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The  CAREER  of 
KATHERINE  BUSH 


•,  vv-;,-'::  i^iir^., " 


'After  all^   I    understand  you — and   I    forgive  you.'  " 

[page  202j 


THE  CAREER  OF 
KATHERINE  BUSH 

BY 

ELINOR  GLYN 

AUTHOR  OF 
THE  MAN  AND  THE  MOMENT,  Etc. 


ILLUSTRATED  BY 

EDMUND  FREDERICK 


a£xlD 


NEW    YORK 

GROSSET&  D;U  N  L  a  P 

PUBLISHERS 


COPTBIGHT,  1916,  BT 

D.  APPLETON  AND  COMPANY 
CopTBiQHT,  1916,  BT  The  IinTEBNATioiirAi.  Maqaziiib  ComAST 


Printed  in  the  United  States  of  America 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 


"  'After  a\\,  I  understand  you — and  I  forgive 

you'  "     ..      . Frontispiece 

FACING   PAGE 

rs^      "  'You  must  ...  go  on  and  make  something  of  your 

''<  life,   as   I   mean   to   do.'  " 50 

"  'No    man    is    an    impossible    husband    if    he    is    a 

Duke.'  " .      102 

"'You  are  ready  for  the  great  adventure.'''"  >.  .:  276 


644473 


THE  CAREER 
OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 


CHAPTER  I 

DUSK  was  coming  on  when  Katherine  Bush  left 
the  office  of  the  Jew  money  lenders,  Livingstone 
and  Devereux,  in  Holies  Street.  Theirs  was 
a  modest  establishment  with  no  indication  upon  the 
wire  blind  of  the  only  street  window  as  to  the  trade 
practised  by  the  two  owners  of  the  aristocratic  names 
emblazoned  upon  the  dingy  transparency.  But  it  was 
rery  well  known  all  the  same  to  numerous  young  bloods 
who  often  sought  temporary  relief  within  its  doors. 

Katherine  Bush  had  been  the  shorthand  typist  there 
since  she  was  nineteen.  They  paid  her  well,  and  she 
had  the  whole  of  Saturday  to  herself. 

She  sat  clicking  at  her  machine  most  of  the  day,  be- 
hind a  half-high  glass  screen,  and  when  she  lifted  her 
head,  she  could  see  those  who  came  to  the  desk  beyond 
• — she  could  hear  their  voices,  and  if  she  listened  very 
carefully,  she  could  distinguish  the  words  they  said. 
In  the  three  years  in  which  she  had  earned  thirty  shill- 
ings a  week  sitting  there,  she  had  become  quite  a  con- 
noisseur in  male  voices,  and  had  made  numerous  deduc- 
tions therefrom.  "Liv"  and  "Dev,"  as  Mr.  Percival 
Livingstone  and  Mr.  Benjamin  Devereux,  were  called 
with  undue  familiarity  by  their  subordinates,  often  won- 
dered how  Katherine  Bush  seemed  to  know  exactly  the 

1 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 


suitable  sort  of  letter  to  write  to  each  client,  without 
being  told.  She  was  certainly  a  most  valuable  young 
woman,  and  worth  the  rise  the  firm  meant  to  offer  her 
shortly. 

She  hardly  ever  spoke,  and  when  she  did  raise  her 
sullen  greyish-green  eyes  with  a  question  in  them,  you 
were  wiser  to  answer  it  without  too  much  palaver.  The 
eyes  were  darkly  heavily  lashed  and  were  compelHng 
and  disconcertingly  steady,  and  set  Hke  Greek  eyes 
under  broad  brows.  Her  cheeks  were  flat,  and  her  nose 
straight,  and  her  mouth  was  full  and  large  and  red. 

For  the  rest  she  was  a  colourless  creature,  with  a  mop 
of  ashen-hued  hair  which  gleamed  with  silvery  lights. 
She  was  tall  and  slight,  and  she  could  at  any  moment 
have  been  turned  by  a  clever  dressmaker  and  hairdresser 
into  a  great  beauty.  But  as  it  was,  she  gave  no  thought 
to  her  appearance,  and  looked  unremarkable  and  ordi- 
nary and  lower  middle-class. 

She  had  wonderful  hands — Where  they  came  from 
the  good  God  alone  knew!  with  their  whiteness  and 
their  shape.  They  were  strong,  too,  and  perhaps  ap- 
peared boyish  rather  than  feminine.  She  did  not  in- 
herit them  from  that  excellent  mother,  retired  to  a 
better  world  some  ten  years  before;  nor  from  that 
astute  auctioneer  father,  who,  dying  suddenly,  had  left 
that  comfortable  red-brick  semi-detached  villa  at 
Bindon's  Green,  Brixton,  as  a  permanent  home  for  his 
large  family. 

But  from  whence  come  souls  and  bodies  and  hands 
and  eyes? — and  whither  do  they  go? — Katherine  Bush 
often  asked  herself  questions  like  these,  and  plodded  on 
until  she  could  give  herself  some  kind  of  answer. 

Not  one  single  moment  of  her  conscious  hours  had 
ever  been  wasted.     She  was  always  learning  something, 

2 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 


and  before  she  had  reached  sixteen,  she  had  reahsed 
that  power  to  rule  will  eventually  be  in  the  grasp  of  the 
man  or  woman  who  can  reap  the  benefit  of  lessons. 

She  had  enjoyed  her  work  at  the  night  schools,  and 
the  wet  Sundays,  curled  up  with  a  book  in  the  arm- 
chair in  the  tiny  attic,  which  she  preferred  to  a  larger 
bedroom,  because  she  could  have  it  alone  unshared  with 
a  sister. 

Her  mind  had  become  a  storehouse  of  miscellaneous 
Enghsh  htcrature,  a  good  deal  mispronounced  in  the 
words,  because  she  had  never  heard  it  read  aloud  by  a 
cultivated  voice.  She  knew  French  grammatically,  but 
her  accent  would  have  made  a  delicate  ear  wince.  Her 
own  voice  was  singularly  refined ;  it  was  not  for  nothing 
that  she  had  diligently  listened  to  the  voices  of  im- 
pecunious aristocrats  for  over  three  years ! 

For  the  moment,  Katherine  Bush  was  in  love.  Lord 
Algy  had  happened  to  glance  over  the  glass  screen  upon 
his  first  visit  to  Liv  and  Dev  to  be  accommodated  with 
a  thousand  pounds,  and  his  attractive  blue  eyes  had 
met  the  grey-green  ones. 

He  had  spoken  to  her  when  she  came  out  to  luncheon. 
But  he  had  done  it  really  intelligently,  and  Katherine 
was  not  insulted.  Indeed,  accustomed  as  she  was  to 
weigh  everything  in  life,  she  accorded  him  a  mead  of 
praise  for  the  manner  in  which  he  had  carried  out  his 
intention  to  make  her  acquaintance.  She  had  flouted 
him  and  turned  him  more  or  less  inside  out  for  over  a 
month,  but  she  had  let  him  give  her  lunch — and  now 
she  had  decided  to  spend  the  Saturday  to  IMonday  with 
him. 

For  the  scheme  of  existence  which  she  had  planned 
out  for  herself,  she  decided  her  experience  must  be  more 
complete.     One  must  see  life,  she  argued,  and  it  was 

8 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

better  to  make  a  first  plunge  with  a  person  of  refine- 
ment, who  knew  the  whole  game,  than  with  one  of  her 
own  class  who  would  be  but  a  very  sorry  instructor. 

Heavens !  To  spend  a  Saturday  to  Monday  with 
the  counterpart  of  her  brothers  Fred  and  Bert!  The 
idea  made  her  shudder.  She  disliked  them  and  their 
friends  enough  as  it  was — and  the  idea  of  marriage  in 
that  circle  never  entered  her  level  head.  Of  what  use 
would  be  all  her  studies,  and  the  lessons  she  had 
mastered,  if  she  buried  herself  forever  at  Brixton 
with  Charlie  Prodgers  or  at  Clapham  with  Percy 
Watson.'' 

At  this  stage  no  moral  questions  troubled  her  at  all, 
nor  had  she  begun  really  to  apply  the  laws  of  cause 
and  effect  in  their  full  measure — although  she  was  quite 
aware  that  what  she  proposed  to  do  was  the  last  thing 
she  would  have  considered  wise  or  safe  for  another 
woman  to  attempt.  Rules  of  conduct  were  wisely  made 
for  communities  she  felt,  and  must  be  kept  or  disaster 
must  inevitably  follow.  But  in  her  own  case  she  was 
willing  to  take  risks,  thoroughly  believing  in  her  own 
cool  discrimination. 

The  outlook  for  her  should  always  be  vast. 

Lord  Algy  was  passionately  devoted,  and  it  was  wiser 
early  in  life  to  know  the  nature  of  men.  Thus  she 
argued  to  herself,  being  totally  unaware  that  her  point 
of  view  was  altogether  affected  because  her  heart  and 
her  senses  pleaded  hard,  being  touched  for  the  first  time 
in  her  twenty-two  years. 

She  was  quite  untroubled  by  what  the  world  calls 
morality — and  she  had  no  scruples.  These  were  for  a 
later  date  in  her  career. 

The  path  looked  clear  and  full  of  roses. 

She  had  not  been  in  the  habit  of  consulting  her  family 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

as  to  her  movements,  and  had  many  times  gone  by  her- 
self for  holidays  to  the  seaside.  No  questions  would 
be  asked  her  when  she  returned  on  the  Monday.  If  the 
matter  could  have  created  scandal,  she  would  not  have 
gone — to  create  scandal  was  not  at  all  part  of  her 
game. 

Lord  Algy  had  arranged  to  take  her  to  Paris  by 
that  Friday  night's  train.  They  would  have  all  Satur- 
day and  Sunday,  and  then  return  on  Monday  night. 
Liv  and  Dev  had  granted  her  a  holiday  until  the  Tues- 
day. She  had  put  on  her  best  blue  serge  suit  that 
morning,  and  had  taken  a  small  valise  with  what  she 
considered  necessary  things.  And  now  her  heart  beat 
rather  fast  as  she  turned  into  Oxford  Street  in  the 
gathering  October  dusk. 

For  a  few  moments  she  wondered  what  it  would  have 
been  like  if  she  had  been  going  to  marry  Lord  Algy — 
before  all  the  world.  Quite  a  great  pleasure  no  doubt 
for  a  month  or  two — But  then.'' — He  was  the  fourth  son 
of  a  stingy  Welsh  marquis,  and  nothing  would  ever  in- 
duce his  family  to  pardon  such  a  mesalliance.  Of  this 
she  was  well  aware.  It  was  the  business  of  "Liv"  and 
"Dev"  to  make  themselves  acquainted  with  a  good  deal 
about  the  peerage,  and  whatever  her  employers  knew, 
Katherine  Bush  knew. 

Life  for  her  held  no  illusions.  Her  studies  had  con- 
vinced her  that  to  be  strong  and  perfectly  honest  were 
the  only  two  things  of  any  avail,  and  to  acquire  a  thor- 
ough knowledge  of  human  beings,  so  as  then  to  be  able 
to  manipulate  these  pawns. 

Lord  Algy  she  believed  was  only  a  most  agreeable 
part  of  her  education,  but  of  no  vital  importance.  She 
would  have  been  horrified  if  anyone  had  told  her  that 
she  was  mixing  up  sentiment  in  the  affair! 

5 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

To  get  everything  down  to  its  bedrock  meaning  had 
been  her  endeavour,  ever  since  she  had  first  read  Darwin 
and  Herbert  Spencer. 

"I  shall  have  the  experience  of  a  widow,"  she  said  to 
herself,  "and  can  then  decide  what  is  next  to  be 
done." 

Lord  Algy  was  a  Guardsman — and  knew,  among 
other  things,  exactly  how  to  spend  an  agreeable  Satur- 
day to  Monday !  He  was  piqued  by  Katherine  Bush, 
and  almost  in  love.  He  looked  forward  to  his  brief 
honeymoon  with  delight. 

He  was  waiting  for  her  in  a  taxicab  at  the  corner  of 
Oxford  Circus,  and  when  she  got  in  with  her  little 
valise,  he  caught  and  kissed  her  hand. 

"We  will  go  and  dine  at  the  Great  Terminus,"  he 
told  her  in  his  charming  voice,  "and  don't  you  think 
it  would  be  much  nicer  if  we  stayed  there  to-night,  and 
went  on  by  the  morning  train? — It  is  such  a  miserable 
hour  to  arrive  in  Paris  otherwise — you  would  be 
knocked  up  for  the  day." 

He  was  holding  her  hand,  and  the  nearness  of  him 
thrilled  her,  in  some  new  and  delicious  way.  She  hesi- 
tated, though,  for  a  moment — she  never  acted  on  im- 
pulse. She  crushed  down  a  strange  sensation  of  gasp 
which  came  in  her  throat.  After  all,  of  what  matter 
if  she  stayed — or  started  to-night? — since  she  had  al- 
ready cast  the  die,  and  did  not  mean  to  shirk  the  pay- 
ment of  the  stakes. 

"Very  well,"  she  said,  quite  low. 

"I  hoped  you  would  agree,  pet,"  he  whispered,  en- 
circling her  with  his  arm,  "I  meant  to  persuade  you, 
and  I  am  going  to  make  you  so  awfully  happy — I  sent 
my  servant  this  afternoon  to  take  the  rooms  for  us, 
and  everything  will  be  ready." 

6 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

This  sounded  agreeable  enough,  and  Katherlne  Bush 
permitted  herself  to  smile,  which  was  a  rare  occurrence ; 
she  would  spend  hours  and  days  without  the  flicker  of 
one  coming  near  her  red  lips. 

In  the  uncertain  light.  Lord  Algy  felt  it  more  than 
he  actually  saw  it,  and  it  warmed  him.  She  was,  as 
he  had  confessed  to  his  best  friend  in  the  battalion,  an 
enigma  to  him — hence  her  charm. 

"She  treats  me  as  though  I  were  the  ground  under 
her  feet  at  times,"  he  recounted  to  Jack  Kilcourcy.  "I 
don't  think  she  cares  two  damned  straws  for  me  really, 
but,  by  Jove !  she  is  worth  while !  She  has  no  nonsense 
about  her,  and  she  is  so  awfully  game !" 

He  had  taken  good  care  never  to  let  Jack  see  her, 
though — or  tell  him  her  name ! 

It  was  not  long  before  they  reached  the  hotel,  and 
Katherine  Bush  was  a  little  angry  with  herself  because 
she  felt  a  quiver  of  nervousness  when  they  were  in  the 
big  hall. 

Lord  Algy  knew  all  the  ropes,  and  his  air  of  com- 
plete insouciance  reassured  her.  A  discreet  valet 
stepped  forward  and  spoke  to  his  master,  and  they  were 
soon  in  the  lift,  and  so  to  a  well-lighted  and  warmed 
suite. 

"These  colours  and  this  imitation  Chippendale  are 
rather  awful,  aren't  they,"  Lord  Algy  said,  looking 
round,  "but  we  must  not  mind,  as  it  is  only  for  one 
night ;  the  Palatial  in  Paris  will  be  different — I  am  glad. 
Hanson  saw  to  the  flowers." 

Huge  bunches  of  roses  stood  upon  the  table  and 
mantelpiece.  Katherine  Bush  thought  it  a  splendid 
place,  but  if  it  appeared  rather  "awful"  to  him,  she 
must  not  show  her  admiration. 

"Tea  will  come  in  a  moment — I  mean  chocolate,  pet 

7 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

■ — and  I  think  we  shall  be  as  jolly  as  can  be.  In  there 
is  your  room ;  they  will  have  brought  up  your  valise  by 
BOW,  I  expect." 

Katherine  Bush  moved  forward  and  went  through  the 
door.  A  cheery  fire  was  burning,  and  the  curtains  were 
drawn,  and  on  a  chair  there  was  a  big  cardboard  box. 
She  looked  at  it,  it  was  addressed  "Mrs.  Rufus." 

"Who — is  that — ? — and  what  is  it  for.?"  she  asked, 
in  a  voice  deep  as  a  well. 

"It  is  just  a  fur-lined  coat,  darling,"  Lord  Algy  an- 
swered, as  he  pulled  undone  the  string,  "and  a  little 
wrap — I  thought  you  would  be  so  awfully  cold  on  the 
boat — and  probably  would  not  have  been  able  to  bring 
much  luggage." 

A  slight  flush  came  into  the  young  woman's  white 
cheeks,  something  in  her  loathed  taking  presents. 

"Thanks  awfully — I'll  be  glad  to  have  you  lend  them 
to  me  for  this  trip — but  why  is  it  addressed  'Mrs. 
Rufus'.'' — Mr.  Devereux  has  got  a  sister  of  that 
name." 

Lord  Algy  laughed. 

"Well,  you  see,  I  could  not  have  it  'Fitz-Rufus,'  be- 
cause every  one  knows  that  is  the  Merioneth  name,  given 
us  poor  devils  by  the  Normans,  because  we  were  such  a 
red-headed  lot,  and  I  bet  they  found  our  own  too  diffi- 
cult to  pronounce !"  He  began  pulling  out  the  coat  and 
a  soft  pink  silk  dressing-gown  from  the  box.  "I  always 
am  just  'Rufus'  when  I  come  out  like  this."  He  laughed 
again  a  little  constrainedly;  it  had  just  struck  him  that 
the  latter  part  of  his  sentence  was  perhaps  not  very 
felicitously  expressed — since  he  knew  Katherine  Bush 
was  no  chorus  lady,  accustomed  to  temporary  wedded 
appellations ! 

She  looked  him  straight  in  the  eyes  with  her  strange, 

8 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

disconcertingly  steady  grey-green  ones — and  then  she 
smiled  again — as  the  Sphinx  might  have  done  before 
being  set  in  eternal  immobility  of  stone. 

Lord  Algy  felt  stupidly  uncomfortable,  so  he  folded 
her  in  his  arms  with  a  fond  caress,  a  far  better  plan 
he  had  always  found  than  any  argument  or  explana- 
tion with  women. 

Katherine  Bush  realised  the  joy  of  it.  She  was  ready 
for  every  grade  of  pleasure  as  well  as  experience.  This 
was  how  things  were  done  in  Lord  Algy's  world,  then — 
So  be  it. 

Together  they  looked  at  the  coat  and  wrap,  and  he 
helped  her  to  take  off  her  hat  and  jacket,  and  try  them 
on.  They  were  very  friendly,  and  Lord  Algy  suggested 
that  as  the  dressing-gown  was  almost  a  teagown  and 
was  fairly  pretty,  she  might  wear  it  for  dinner,  which 
they  would  have  in  the  sitting-room. 

"You'll  look  sweet  in  pink,  darling,"  he  lisped,  as  be 
kissed  her  ear,  "and  it  will  be  so  soft  and  cosy." 

Then  the  waiter  knocked  at  the  door  and  said  the 
chocolate  was  ready,  so  they  went  back  to  the  sitting 
room. 

He  was  quite  adorable  as  he  assisted  her  to  pour  in 
the  cream — but  Katherine  Bush  now  decided  she  would 
keep  him  at  arm's  length  for  a  while;  the  game  was 
really  so  entertaining,  and  its  moves  must  be  made  to 
last  as  long  as  possible. 

Lord  Algy  enjoyed  fencing,  too,  so  they  talked  in  a 
more  matter-of-fact  way  for  an  hour  or  more,  and  then 
she  told  him  she  would  go  and  change  for  dinner,  as  it 
would  be  ready  in  twenty  minutes. 

"I'll  have  to  be  your  maid,  darling — I  make  an 
awfully  good  maid — I  never  bungle  with  the  beastly 
hooks — and  I  should  love  to  brush  your  hair !" 

9 


THE  CABEER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

His  eyes  shone  with  light-hearted  passion,  and  his 
^ood-looking  face  was  close  to  her  own. 

"You  sluill  perhaps — to-morrow,"  Katherine  Bush 
retorted — and  slipping  into  the  room  beyond  she  shut 
the  door. 

Lord  Algy  flung  himself  into  an  armchair,  lit  a 
cigarette  and  laughed  softly.  He  had  never  had  such 
an  experience  as  this. 

"She  is  a  wonder !"  he  said  to  himself.  "Astonishing 
for  her  class — for  any  class — She  reminds  me  of  some 
French  heroine — what's  her  name — fellow  wrote  jolly 
nice  stuff — oh — er — Mademoiselle  de  Maupin,  of 
course !  By  Jove !  I  believe  I  am  going  to  have  a  time 
like  that  chap  had — only  she  won't  go  off  into  limbo  on 
Monday  night ! — Confound  it,  I  believe  I'm  in 
love !" 

Then  he  threw  away  his  cigarette  end,  and  went 
round  through  the  outer  passage  to  his  room  beyond 
hers,  where  he  found  his  servant  turning  on  his  bath  in 
the  bathroom  which  divided  their  apartments. 

^'Madame  did  not  seem  to  require  it — yet,"  Hanson 
said  respectfully,  "so  I  have  turned  on  Your  Lordship's 
first." 

And  in  a  few  minutes  Lord  Algy  was  splashing  in 
the  Lubin  scented  water,  while  he  gaily  whistled  a  tune. 

And  Katherine  Bush  heard  him  as  she  was  sponging 
her  white  face — and  stopped  and  listened  surprisedly. 

"Whatever  can  he  be  having  a  bath  for  at  this  time 
of  day,"  she  said  to  herself,  "and  it  is  not  Saturday !" 

Then  the  thought  came,  it  might  be  the  custom  of 
his  class  to  bathe  before  dinner !  A  scarlet  spot  grew 
in  each  cheek — she  must  never  forget  to  learn  and  profit 
by  her  lessons,  so  she  deliberately  went  and  knocked  on 
the  communicating  door  and  called  out : 

10 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATIIERINE  BUSH 

"Algy !  you  are  mean  to  take  the  first ! — When  you 
have  finished,  turn  on  mine." 

And  then  she  stood  and  trembled  for  a  minute,  while 
she  piled  up  her  great  mass  of  ashen  hair. 

"All  right,  darling!"  he  called  back.  "Only  I  must 
have  my  reward !" 

"When  /  please!"  the  young  woman  said  to  herself. 
"And  not  until." 

At  dinner,  she  looked  quite  pretty,  the  pink  suited 
her  pale  skin,  and  the  unusual  feminine  fluffiness  of  the 
garment  altered  her  rather  stern  appearance.  She  had 
not  yet  begiin  to  employ  any  art  whatever,  or  to  alter 
the  rough  bundling  up  of  her  hair,  but  now,  out  to 
enjoy  herself  under  the  most  propitious  and  rose-col- 
oured circumstances,  her  strange,  sullen  eyes  shone  with 
a  subtle  fascination,  and  her  deep  voice  had  tones  in  it 
which  seduced  the  ear. 

She  had  never  dined  with  him  before,  only  lunched, 
and  now  it  behooved  her  to  observe  the  ways  of  things, 
as  she  was  quite  ignorant  of  the  art  of  dining  out.  Mr. 
Benjamin  Devereux  had  made  advances  to  her  in  her 
first  year  at  Liv  and  Dev,  but  she  had  annihilated  him, 
and  withered  his  proposals  for  unlimited  dinners  and  a 
generous  settlement  with  scorn.  There  had  never  been 
a  moment  when  she  had  contemplated  her  charms  being 
wasted  upon  anything  but  an  aristocrat,  from  whom 
she  could  acquire  "tone." 

No  denizen  of  Bindon's  Green — no  friend  of  the  fam- 
ily— no  companion  in  the  morning  train  had  ever  had 
so  much  as  a  kind  word,  much  less  the  tip  of  one  of  her 
strong  white  fingers.  She  was  as  a  bunch  of  grapes 
with  perfect  bloom  retained. 

She  was  taking  in  every  line  of  Lord  Algy  as  she  sat 
there  sipping  her  soup.     She  had  refused  oysters,  and 

11 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

had  watched  him  as  he  devoured  his  with  the  joy  of  an 
epicure.  She  had  not  been  quite  certain  as  to  which 
was  the  right  implement  to  employ.  She  supposed  it 
was  that  little  fork  with  the  three  prongs — but  she  de- 
termined to  make  no  mistakes. 

It  was  easy  enough  to  gobble  oysters  soused  in 
vinegar  and  red  pepper,  with  huge  slices  of  bread  and 
butter,  and  a  bottle  of  stout,  as  her  brother  Fred  was 
wont  to  enjoy  them  at  supper  on  Saturday  nights.  Or 
they  could  be  pulled  about  in  the  mincing  fashion  in 
which  his  fiancee,  that  genteel  Mabel  Cawber,  treated 
them,  with  little  finger  daintily  curved,  and  the  first 
and  the  thumb  only  in  use!  but  before  she,  Katherine 
Bush,  swallowed  one,  she  would  ascertain  exactly  how 
they  were  eaten  in  Lord  Algy's  world !  No  good  out  of 
this  trip  should  be  wasted. 

As  dinner  advanced,  he  began  to  make  more  ardent 
love  to  her — and  the  champagne  elevated  both  their 
spirits.  He  reproached  her  for  her  hardness  in  not 
having  allowed  him  to  play  the  part  of  maid,  after  all. 
She  was  a  capricious  little  darling,  but  surely  did  not 
mean  to  go  on  being  unkind.'' 

No ;  she  did  not — but  she  had  suddenly  realised,  while 
dressing,  that  some  of  her  garments  were  not  fine  enough 
for  the  situation,  and  must  be  kept  out  of  sight ! 

She  did  not  tell  him  this,  however,  but  continued  to 
enact  the  role  of  condescending  queen,  while  quietly  she 
watched  him  as  a  cat  watches  a  mouse. 

She  loved  the  way  his  hair  was  brushed — how  differ- 
ent from  Charlie  Prodgers ! — she  loved  the  finely  cut 
back  of  his  head.  She  was  perfectly  aware  that  he 
showed  outwardly  every  mark  of  breeding  in  his  weak, 
handsome  face,  and  lean  well-drilled  figure.  These  things 
pleased     her — especially     the     breeding;     it    was    so 

12 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

very  far  from  what  she  ever  saw  at  Bindon's  Green ! 

Lord  Algy  had  the  easy,  pleasant  manner  of  his  kind, 
with  a  strong  personal  attraction,  amply  balancing  ab- 
sence of  brain  for  general  purposes,  and  he  was  versed 
in  every  art  for  the  cajoling  of  women. 

The  dinner  grew  more  and  more  agreeable,  until  when 
coffee  and  liqueurs  came,  Kathcrine  Bush  felt  exalted 
into  a  strange  heaven.  She  had  analysed  almost  all  emo- 
tions in  the  abstract,  but  not  their  possible  effects  upon 
herself.  She  found  the  ones  she  was  experiencing  now 
peculiarly  delightful!  To  be  twenty-two  and  in  love 
for  the  first  time  in  life,  with  an  extremely  delectable 
specimen  of  manhood — to  be  free  as  air — answerable  to 
no  one — untroubled  by  backward  or  forward  thoughts, 
unworried  by  tormenting  speculations  as  to  whether  the 
affair  was  right  or  wrong — wise  or  unwise — This  was 
a  state  of  things  which  made  the  cup  worth  drinking, 
and  Katherine  Bush  knew  it. 

No  possibility  of  bitter  dregs  to  follow  the  last  sip 
entered  her  calculations. 

The  imp  gods  laughed,  no  doubt,  and  Lord  Algy's 
blue  eyes  were  full  of  passionate  delight ! 

Thus  with  all  things  coulenr  de  rose,  Katherine  Bush 
began  her  brief  honeymoon. 


CHAPTER    II 

AND  I  shall  not  see  you  for  a  whole  month,  my 
precious  pet !"  Lord  Algy  whispered,  as  the 
train  was  approaching  Charing  Cross,  at  about 
eleven  o'clock  on  the  Monday  night  of  the  return  jour- 
ney. "I  don't  know  how  I  shall  bear  it,  but  you  will 
write  every  day,  won't  you? — Promise  me,  darling — 
— I  wish  now  that  I  had  not  taken  first  leave  and  ar- 
ranged to  shoot  with  my  brother-in-law  next  week." 

His  arm  still  encircled  her,  and  her  ashen-hued  head 
leaned  against  his  shoulder,  so  that  he  could  not  see  the 
expression  in  her  sombre  eyes.  It  was  that  of  an  animal 
in  pain. 

"No,  I  shall  not  write,  Algy,  and  you  must  not,  either 
— we  have  had  a  divine  time,  and  I  shall  never  forget  it. 
But  it  is  stupid  to  write — what  good  would  it  be  to 
either  of  us.'"' 

He  pleaded  that  he  would  not  be  able  to  live  without 
a  word — after  the  three  days  of  perfect  bliss  they  had 
enjoyed — and,  of  course,  they  would  enjoy  many  more, 
when  he  returned  from  Wales — ! 

Katherinc  Bush  did  not  argue  with  him — of  what  use 
since  her  own  mind  was  entirely  made  up.'^  She  just 
let  him  kiss  her  as  much  as  he  desired  without  speaking 
a  word,  and  then  she  arranged  her  hat  and  veil,  and  was 
demurely  ready  to  get  out  when  the  train  should  draw 
up  at  the  platform. 

Lord  Algy  could  not  have  been  more  loverlike.  He 
was  really  feeling  full  of  emotion  and  awfully  sorry  to 

14 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

part.  She  had  been  so  wonderful,  he  told  himself.  She 
had  enjoyed  the  whole  thing  so  simply,  and  was  such  a 
delightful  companion.  She  had  not  asked  any  silly 
questions  or  plagued  him  with  sentimental  forever-and- 
ever  kinds  of  suggestions,  as  lots  of  girls  might  have 
done  with  her  limited  experience  of  these  transitory 
affairs.  She  had  accepted  the  situation  as  frankly  as  a 
savage  who  had  never  heard  that  there  could  be  any 
more  binding  unions.  He  really  did  not  know  how  he 
was  going  to  stand  a  whole  month  of  separation,  but 
perhaps  it  was  just  as  well,  as  he  was  on  the  verge  of 
being  ridiculously  in  love,  and  to  plunge  in,  he  knew, 
would  be  a  hopeless  mistake.  She  was  a  thousand  times 
nicer  and  more  interesting  than  any  girl  he  had  ever 
met  in  his  life.  If  she  had  only  been  a  lady,  and  there 
would  not  be  any  row  about  it,  he  could  imagine  any 
fellow  being  glad  to  marry  her. 

She  was  not  at  all  cold  either — indeed,  far  from  it — 
and  seemed  instinctively  to  understand  the  most  en- 
chanting passion — He  thought  of  Mademoiselle  de 
Maupiii  again — and  felt  he  had  been  as  equally  blessed 
as  D' Albert.  She  would  make  the  sweetest  friend  for 
months  and  months,  and  he  v»  ould  rush  back  from  Wales 
the  moment  he  could  break  from  his  family,  and  seek 
solace  in  her  arms — he  would  have  got  himself  in  hand 
again  by  then,  so  as  not  to  do  anything  stupid.  He 
always  meant  to  be  very,  very  good  to  her,  though. 
Thus  he  dreamed,  and  grew  more  demonstrative,  clasp- 
ing her  once  again  in  a  fond  farewell  embrace,  during 
the  last  available  moment,  and  his  charming  blue  eyes, 
with  their  brown  curly  lashes,  looked  half  full  of  tears. 

"Say  you  love  me,  darling,"  he  commanded,  wishing, 
like  all  lovers,  to  hear  the  spoken  words. 

Katherine  Bush  was  very  pale,  and  there  was  concen- 

15 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

tratcd  feeling  in  her  face  which  startled  him.  Then  she 
answered,  her  voice  deeper  than  usual : 

"Yes — I  love  you,  Algy — perhaps  you  will  never 
know  how  much.  I  do  not  suppose  I  will  ever  really 
love  anj'one  else  in  the  same  way  in  my  life." 

Then  the  train  drew  up  at  the  station. 

The  people  all  looked  unreal  in  the  foggy  October 
air  under  the  glaring  lights — and  the  whole  thing  ap- 
peared as  a  dream  indeed  when,  half  an  hour  later, 
Kathcrine  sped  through  the  suburban  roads  to  Bindon's 
Green,  alone  in  the  taxi.  Lord  Algy  had  put  her  in 
and  paid  the  man  liberally,  and  with  many  last  love 
words  had  bidden  her  good-night  and — au  revoir! 

So  this  chapter  was  finished — she  realised  that.  And 
it  had  been  really  worth  while.  An  outlook  had  opened 
for  her  into  a  whole  new  world — where  realities  lived — 
where  new  beings  moved,  where  new  standpoints  could 
be  reached.  She  saw  that  her  former  life  had  been 
swept  from  her — and  now,  to  look  back  upon,  appeared 
an  impossible  tedium.  She  had  mastered  all  the  shades 
of  what  three  days  of  most  intimate  companionship  with 
a  gentleman  could  mean,  and  the  memory  contained  no 
flaw.  Algy's  chivalry  and  courtesy  had  never  faltered ; 
she  might  have  been  a  princess  or  his  bride,  from  the 
homage  he  had  paid  her.  Dear,  much-loved  Algy  !  Her 
passion  for  him  was  tinged  with  almost  a  mother  love — 
there  was  something  so  tender  and  open-hearted  about 
him.  But  now  she  must  take  stern  hold  of  herself,  and 
must  have  pluck  enough  to  profit  by  what  she  had 
learned  of  life — Though  to-night  she  was  too  tired  to 
do  more  than  retrospect. 

Oh!  the  wonder  of  it  all! — the  wonder  of  love,  and 
the  wonder  of  emotion !  She  clenched  her  cold  hands 
round  the  handle  of  her  little  valise.    She  was  trembling. 

16 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

She  had  insisted  upon  his  keeping  the  fur-lined  coat  for 
the  present.  How  could  she  account  for  it  to  her  fam- 
ily, she  had  argued?  But  she  never  meant  to  take  it 
again. 

No  one  was  awake  at  Laburnum  Villa  when  she 
opened  the  door  with  her  latchkey,  and  she  crept  up 
to  her  little  icy  chamber  under  the  roof,  numb  in  mind 
and  body  and  soul — and  was  soon  shivering  between 
the  cotton  sheets. 

Oh!  the  contrast  to  the  warm,  flower-scented  bedroom 
at  the  Palatial!  And  once  she  had  not  known  the  dif- 
ference between  linen  and  cotton! 

She  said  this  over  to  herself  while  she  felt  the  nap — • 
and  then  the  tears  gathered  in  her  eyes  one  by  one,  and 
she  sobbed  uncontrollably  for  a  while — Alas !  to  have  to 
renounce  all  joy — forever  more! 

She  fell  asleep  towards  morning,  and  woke  with  a 
start  as  her  alarm  clock  thundered.  But  her  face  was 
set  like  marble,  and  there  was  not  a  trace  of  weakness 
upon  it  when  she  appeared  at  the  family  scramble, 
which  did  duty  for  breakfast. 

There  had  been  a  row  between  Fred  and  Gladys,  the 
sister  a  year  older  than  herself,  who  was  a  saleswoman 
at  a  fashionable  dressmaker's  establishment.  Ma- 
tilda, the  eldest  of  the  family,  was  trying  to  smooth 
matters  while  she  sewed  up  a  rent  in  the  skirt  which 
Ethel,  the  youngest,  would  presently  wear  to  the  school 
"for  young  ladies"  which  she  daily  attended.  This,  the 
most  youthful  Miss  Bush,  meanwhile  sat  in  a  very  soiled 
Japanese  quilted  dressing  gown,  devouring  sausages. 
There  were  bloaters  on  the  table,  too,  and  treacle — 
and  the  little  general  servant  was  just  bringing  in  the 
unsavory  coffee  in  the  tin  coffeepot. 

Tea  had  been  good  enough  for  them  always  in  the 

17 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

father's  time,  and  Matilda  for  her  part  could  not  see 
why  Fred  had  insisted  upon  having  coffee,  on  the 
strength  of  a  trip  to  Boulogne  on  bank  holiday. 

But  there  it  was !  When  Fred  insisted,  things  had  to 
be  done — even  if  one  hated  coffee ! 

Katherine  Bush  loathed  most  of  her  family.  She  had 
not  an  expansive  nature,  and  was  quite  ruthless.  Why 
should  she  love  them  just  because  they  were  her  brothers 
and  sisters?  She  had  not  asked  to  be  born  among 
them!  They  were  completely  uncongenial  to  her,  and 
always  had  been.  It  was  obviously  ridiculous  and 
illogical  then  to  expect  her  to  feel  affection  for  them, 
just  because  of  this  accident  of  birth,  so  she  argued. 
Matilda,  the  eldest,  who  had  always  been  a  mother  to 
the  rest,  did  hold  one  small  corner  of  her  heart. 

"Poor  old  Tild,"  as  she  called  her,  "the  greatest  old 
fool  living,"  and  Matilda  adored  her  difficult  sister. 

How  doubly  impossible  they  all  appeared  now  to  the 
unveiled  eyes  of  Katherine ! 

"This  is  simply  disgusting  stuff,  this  coffee !"  she 
said,  putting  her  cup  down  with  a  grimace.  "It  is  no 
more  like  French  coffee  than  Ett  looks  like  a  Japanese 
because  she  has  got  on  that  dirty  dressing-gown." 

"What  do  you  know  of  French  coffee,  I'd  like  to  ask 
— What  ho!"  Bert,  the  brother  just  younger  than  her- 
self, demanded,  with  one  of  his  bright  flashes.  "Have 
you  been  to  'Boulong  for  a  bit  of  a  song,'  like  the  Gov'- 
nor?" 

"I  wish  you'd  give  over  calling  me  the  Gov'nor, 
Bert!"  Mr.  Frederick  Bush  interposed,  stopping  for  a 
moment  his  bicker  with  Gladys.  "Mabel  strongly  ob- 
jects to  it.  She  says  it  is  elderly  and  she  dislikes  slang, 
anyway." 

But  Albert  Bush  waved  half  a  sausage  on  his  fork, 

18 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

and  subsided  into  a  chuckle  of  laughter.  He  was  the 
recognised  wit  of  the  family,  and  Ethel  giggled  in 
chorus. 

Katherine  never  replied  to  any  of  their  remarks,  un- 
less she  wished  to ;  there  was  no  use  in  throwing  down 
the  gauntlet  to  her,  it  remained  lying  there.  She  did 
not  even  answer  Matilda's  tentative  suggestion  that  she 
had  always  drunk  the  coffee  before  without  abusing  it ! 

If  they  only  knew  how  significant  the  word  "before" 
sounded  to  her  that  morning! 

She  finished  her  bit  of  burnt  toast,  and  began  putting 
on  her  hat  at  a  side  mirror  preparatory  to  starting. 
She  did  not  tell  Gladys  that  she  would  be  late  if  she 
did  not  leave  also ;  that  was  her  sister's  own  affair,  she 
never  interfered  with  people. 

As  she  left  the  dining-room,  she  said  to  Matilda: 

"I  want  a  fire  in  my  room  when  I  come  back  this 
evening,  please.  I'll  have  one  every  day — Make  out 
how  much  it  will  be,  and  Em'ly's  extra  work,  and  I'll 
pay  for  it," 

"Whatever  do  you  want  that  for,  Kitten?"  the  as- 
tonished Matilda  demanded.  "Why,  it  is  only  Octo- 
ber yet.  No  one  ever  has  a  fire  until  November,  even 
in  the  drawing-room — let  alone  a  bedroom.  It  is  ridicu- 
lous, dearie !" 

"That  aspect  does  not  matter  at  all  to  me,"  Kath- 
erine retorted.  "I  want  it,  and  so  I  shall  have  it.  I 
have  some  work  to  do,  and  I  am  not  going  to  freeze." 

Matilda  knew  better  than  to  continue  arguing.  She 
had  not  lived  with  Katherine  for  twenty-two  years  for 
nothing. 

"She  takes  after  father  in  a  way,"  she  sighed  to  her- 
self as  she  began  helping  the  little  servant  to  clear  away 
the  breakfast  things,  when  they  had  all  departed  to  the 

19 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

West  End,  where  it  was  their  boast  to  announce  that 
they  were  all  employed — they  looked  down  upon  the 
City! 

"Yes,  it's  father,  not  mother  or  her  family;  father 
would  have  his  way,  and  Fred  has  got  this  idea,  too, 
but  nothing  like  Kitten's !  How  I  wish  she'd  look  at 
Charlie  Prodgers  and  get  married  and  settled !" 

Then  she  sighed  again  and  sat  down  by  the  window  to 
enjoy  her  one  great  pleasure  of  the  day,  the  perusal 
of  the  feuilleton  in  the  Morning  Reflector.  In  these 
brief  moments  she  forgot  all  family  worries,  all  sordid 
cares — and  revelled  in  the  adventures  of  aristocratic 
villains  and  persecuted  innocent  governesses  and  ac- 
tresses, and  felt  she,  too,  had  a  link  with  the  great 
world.  She  was  a  good  sound  Radical  in  what  repre- 
sented politics  to  her,  so  she  knew  all  aristocrats  must 
be  bad,  and  ought  to  be  exterminated,  but  she  loved  to 
read  about  them,  and  hear  first-hand  descriptions  of  the 
female  members  from  Gladys,  who  saw  many  in  the 
showrooms  of  Madame  Ermantine.  "Glad  knows," 
she  often  said  to  herself  with  pride. 

Meanwhile,  Katherine  Bush — having  snubbed  Mr. 
Prodgers  into  silence  in  the  train — where  he  manoeuvred 
to  meet  her  every  morning — reached  her  employers'  es- 
tablishment, and  began  her  usual  typing. 

There  was  work  to  be  done  by  twelve  o'clock  in  con- 
nection with  the  renewal  of  the  loan  to  Lord  Algernon 
Fitz-Rufus — the  old  IVIarquis  would  be  obliged  to 
pay  before  Christmas  time,  Mr.  Percival  Livingstone 
said. 

Miss  Bush,  to  his  intense  astonishment,  gave  a  sud- 
den short  laugh — it  was  quite  mirthless  and  stopped 
abruptly — but  it  was  undoubtedly  a  laugh ! 

"What  is  amusing  you?"  he  asked  with  a  full  lisp,  too 

20 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

taken  off  his  guard  to  be  as  refined  and  careful  in  tone 
as  usual. 

"The  old  Marquis  having  to  pay,  of  course,"  Kath- 
arine responded. 

Never  once  during  the  whole  day  did  she  allow  her 
thoughts  to  wander  from  her  work,  which  she  accom- 
plislied  with  her  usual  precision.  Even  during  her 
luncheon  hour  she  deliberately  read  the  papers.  She 
had  trained  herself  to  do  one  thing  at  a  time,  and  the 
moment  for  reflection  would  not  come  until  she  could 
be  undisturbed.  She  would  go  back  as  soon  as  she  was 
free,  to  her  own  attic,  and  there  think  everything  out, 
and  decide  upon  the  next  step  to  be  taken  in  her  game 
of  hfe. 

A  few  burnt  sticks,  and  a  lump  of  coal  In  the  tiny 
grate,  were  all  she  discovered  on  her  return  that  eve- 
ning to  her  sanctuary.  The  maid-of-all-work  was  not 
a  talented  fire-lighter  and  objected  to  criticism.  Kath- 
erine's  level  brows  met  with  annoyance,  and  she  pro- 
ceeded to  correct  matters  herself,  while  she  muttered : 

"Inefficient  creature!  and  they  say  that  we  are  all 
equal!  Why  can't  she  do  her  work,  then,  as  well  as  I 
can  mine !" 

Her  firm  touch  and  common  sense  arrangement  of 
paper  and  kindling  soon  produced  a  bright  blaze,  and 
when  she  had  removed  her  outdoor  things,  she  sat  down 
to  think  determinedly. 

She  loved  Lord  Algy — that  was  the  first  and  most 
dominant  thing  to  face.  She  loved  him  so  much  that 
it  would  never  be  safe  to  see  him  again,  since  she  had 
not  the  slightest  intention  of  ever  drifting  into  the  posi- 
tion of  being  a  man's  mistress.  She  had  tasted  of  the 
tree  of  knowledge  with  her  eyes  open,  and  the  fruit  that 
she  had  eaten  was  too  dangerously  sweet  for  continuous 

21 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

food.  Love  would  obtain  a  mastery  over  her  if  things 
went  on ;  she  knew  that  she  might  grow  not  to  care 
about  anything  else  in  the  world  but  only  Algy.  Thus, 
obviously,  all  connection  with  him  must  be  broken  off  at 
once,  or  her  career  would  be  at  an  end,  and  her  years 
of  study  wasted.  Even  if  he  offered  to  marry  her  she 
could  never  take  the  position  with  a  high  hand.  There 
would  always  be  this  delicious  memory  of  illicit  joys 
between  them,  which  would  unconsciously  bias  Algy's 
valuation  of  her.  She  had  learned  things  of  consequence 
which  she  could  not  have  acquired  in  any  other  way,  and 
now  she  must  have  strength  to  profit  by  them.  She 
utterly  despised  weaklings  and  had  no  pity  for  lovesick 
maidens.  For  a  woman  to  throw  over  her  future  for  a 
man  was  to  her  completely  contemptible.  She  probed 
the  possible  consequences  of  her  course  of  action  un- 
flinchingly ;  she  believed  so  in  her  own  luck  that  she  felt 
sure  that  no  awkward  accident  could  happen  to  her. 
But  even  if  this  should  occur,  there  were  ways  which 
could  be  discovered  to  help  her — and  since  the  moment 
had  not  yet  come,  she  would  defer  contemplating  it, 
but  would  map  out  her  plans  regardless  of  this  con- 
tingency.    So  she  argued  to  herself. 

She  could  not  endure  living  under  the  family  roof 
of  Laburnum  Villa  any  longer,  that  was  incontestable; 
she  must  go  out  and  learn  exactly  how  the  ladies  of 
Lord  Algy's  world  conducted  themselves.  Not  that 
she  wished  to  dawn  once  more  upon  his  horizon  as  a 
polished  Vere  de  Vere — but  that  for  her  own  satisfac- 
tion she  must  make  herself  his  equal  in  all  respects. 
There  had  been  so  many  trifles  about  which  she  had 
felt  she  had  been  ignorant,  almost  every  moment  of  the 
three  days  had  given  her  new  visions,  and  had  shown 
her  her  own  shortcomings. 

22 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

"There  are  no  bars  to  anything  in  life  but  stupidity 
and  vanity,"  she  told  herself,  "and  they  at  least  shall 
not  stand  in  my  way." 

The  temptation  to  have  one  more  farewell  interview 
with  him  was  great,  but  there  was  nothing  the  least 
dramatic  about  her,  so  that  aspect  did  not  appeal  to 
her  as  it  would  have  done  to  an  ordinary  woman  who  is 
ruled  by  emotional  love  for  dramatic  situations;  she 
was  merely  drawn  by  the  desire  for  her  mate  once  more, 
and  this  she  knew  and  crushed. 

It  would  mean  greater  pain  than  pleasure  to  her  af- 
terwards, and  would  certainly  spoil  all  chance  of  a  ca- 
reer. She  gloried  in  the  fact  that  she  had  had  the 
courage  to  taste  of  life's  joys  for  experience,  but  she 
would  have  burned  with  shame  to  feel  that  she  was  being 
drawn  into  an  equivocal  position  through  her  own 
weakness. 

Katherine  Bush  was  as  proud  as  Lucifer.  She  fully 
understood — apart  from  moral  questions  which  did  not 
trouble  her — that  what  she  had  done  would  have  been 
fatal  to  a  fool  like  Gladys,  or  to  any  girl  except  one 
with  her  exceptional  deliberation  and  iron  will.  She 
truly  beheved  that  such  experiments  were  extremely  dan- 
gerous, and  on  no  account  to  be  adopted  as  a  principle 
of  action  in  general.  The  straight  and  narrow  path  of 
orthodox  virtue  was  the  only  one  for  most  women  to 
follow;  and  the  only  one  she  would  have  advocated  for 
her  sisters  or  friends.  The  proof  being  that  as  a  rule 
when  women  erred  they  invariably  suffered  because  they 
had  not  the  pluck  or  the  strength  to  know  when  to  stop. 

Katherine  Bush  was  absolutely  determined  that  she 
should  never  be  hampered,  in  her  game,  by  her  own  emo- 
tions or  weakness. 

Before  Lord  Algy   would   return   from   Wales,   she 

23 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

would  have  left  Liv  and  Dev's.  She  had  never  given  him 
her  home  address,  and  there  would  be  no  trace  of  her. 
She  would  look  in  the  Morning  Post  for  information, 
and  then  endeavour  to  secure  some  post  as  companion  or 
secretary  to  some  great  lady.  There  she  would  pick  up 
the  rest  of  the  necessary  equipment  to  make  herself  into 
a  person  in  whom  no  flaws  could  be  found.  And  when 
she  had  accomplished  this,  then  fate  would  have  opened 
up  some  path  worth  following. 

"Some  day  I  shall  be  one  of  the  greatest  women  in 
England,"  she  told  herself,  as  she  looked  unblinking 
into  the  glowing  coals. 

Then,  having  settled  her  plans,  she  allowed  herself 
to  go  over  the  whole  of  her  little  holiday,  incident  by 
incident. 

How  utterly  adorable  Algy  had  been !  She  found 
herself  thrilling  again  at  each  remembrance — How  re- 
fined and  how  considerate !  How  easy  were  his  man- 
ners ;  he  was  too  sure  of  himself,  and  his  welcome  in  life, 
ever  to  show  the  deplorable  self-consciousness  which 
marked  the  friends  who  came  on  Sundays,  oi  the  bump- 
tious self-assertion  of  her  brothers,  Fred  and  Bert. 

If  only  she  had  been  born  in  his  world,  and  had  by 
right  of  birth  those  prerogatives  which  she  meant  to 
obtain  by  might  of  intelligence,  how  good  it  would  have 
been  to  marry  him — for  a  few  years !  But  even  now  in 
her  moment  of  fierce,  passionate  first  love,  which  in  her 
case  was  so  largely  made  up  of  the  physical,  her  brain 
was  too  level  and  speculative  not  to  balance  the  pros 
and  cons  of  such  a  situation.  And  while  she  felt  she 
loved  him  with  all  her  being,  she  knew  that  he  was  no 
match  for  her  intellectually,  and  that  when  the  glamour 
faded  he  would  weary  her. 

But  the  wrench  of  present  renunciation  was  none  the 

24 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

less  bitter — Never  any  more  to  feel  his  fond  arms  clasp- 
ing her — never  again  to  liear  his  caressing  words  of 
love ! 

If  a  coronet  for  her  brow  shone  at  the  end  of  the 
climb,  her  heart  at  all  events  must  turn  to  ice  by  the 
way,  or  so  she  felt  at  the  moment. 

He  had  talked  so  tenderly  about  their  future  meet- 
ings. How  they  would  go  again  to  Paris  when  he  re- 
turned from  Wales.  How  she  must  let  him  give  her 
pretty  clothes  and  a  diamond  ring,  and  how  she  was  his 
darling  pet,  and  his  own  girl.  She  knew  that  he  was 
growing  really  to  love  her ;  Katherine  Bush  never  de- 
ceived herself  or  attempted  to  throw  dust  in  her  own 
eyes.  She  had  eaten  her  cake  and  could  not  have  it.  If 
she  had  held  out  and  drawn  him  on,  no  doubt  she  could 
have  been  his  wife,  but  it  was  only  for  one  second  that 
this  thought  agitated  her.  Yes,  she  could  have  been 
his  wife — but  to  what  end?  Only  one  of  humiliation. 
She  was  not  yet  ready  to  carry  off  such  a  position  with 
a  certainty  of  success ;  she  knew  she  was  ignorant,  and 
that  the  knowledge  of  such  ignorance  would  destroy 
her  self-confidence  and  leave  her  at  the  mercy  of  cir- 
cumstance. So  all  was  for  the  best.  She  had  not 
guessed  that  it  would  be  so  very  painful  to  part  from 
him — dear,  attractive  Algy !  She  could  not  sit  still 
any  longer.  A  convulsion  of  anguish  and  longing  shook 
her,  and  she  got  up  and  stamped  across  the  room.  Then 
she  put  on  her  outdoor  things  again  and  stalked  down 
into  the  gathering  night,  passionate  emotion  filling  her 
soul. 

But  when  she  came  back  an  hour  later,  after  tramp- 
ing the  wet  roads  round  the  common,  the  battle  was  won. 

And  this  night  she  fell  asleep  without  any  tears. 


CHAPTER  III 

IT  was  about  a  fortnight  later  that  Katherine  got 
Matilda  to  meet  her  at  a  Lyons'  popular  cafe  for 
tea  on  a  Wednesday  afternoon.  Livingstone  and 
Devereux  had  given  her  a  half  holiday,  being  on  country 
business  bent ;  and  having  matured  her  plans,  and  hav- 
ing set  fresh  schemes  in  train,  she  thought  she  might  as 
well  communicate  them  to  the  one  sister  who  mattered 
to  her.  Matilda  loved  an  excuse  to  "get  up  to  town," 
and  had  come  in  her  best  hat,  with  smiling  face.  Kath- 
erine was  always  very  generous  to  her,  though  she  was 
no  more  careless  about  money  than  she  was  about  other 
things. 

"It  is  all  very  well,  Tild,"  she  said,  in  her  deep  voice, 
after  they  had  spoken  upon  indifferent  subjects  for  a 
while.  "But  I  am  tired  of  it.  I  am  absolutely  tired  of 
it,  so  there!  I  am  tired  of  Liv  and  Dev — tired  of  the 
hateful  old  click  of  the  machine  with  no  change  of  work 
— I  am  tired  of  seeing  the  people  of  another  class 
through  the  glass  screen — and  I  mean  to  get  out  of  it." 

"Whatever  are  you  talking  of,  Kitten!"  the  elder 
Miss  Bush  exclaimed,  as  she  stirred  her  cocoa.  "Why, 
Liv  and  Dov's  as  good  a  berth  as  you'd  get — thirty  bob 
a  week,  and  a  whole  holiday  on  Saturday — to  say  noth- 
ing of  off  times  like  this — you  must  be  mad,  dearie  I" 
Then  something  further  in  her  sister's  remark  aroused 
comment. 

"And  what  do  you  mean  by  people  of  'another  class'.'* 
Why,  aren't  we  as  good  as  anyone — if  we  had  their 
money?" 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

Katherine  Bush  put  down  her  empty  cup  before  she 
rcpHed : 

"No,  we're  not — and  if  you  weren't  as  ignorant  as 
you  are,  dear  old  Tild,  you'd  know  it.  There  are  lots 
and  lots  of  classes  above  us — they  mayn't  be  any  clev- 
erer— indeed,  they  are  often  fools,  and  many  aren't  any 
richer — but  they're  ladies  and  gentlemen." 

Matilda  felt  personally  insulted. 

"Upon  my  word,  Kitten ! — If  you  are  such  a  poor 
thing  that  you  don't  consider  yourself  a  young  ladj' — I 
am  not.  I  always  did  say  that  you  would  pick  up  rub- 
bishly  ideas  bothering  after  those  evening  lectures  and 
French  classes — instead  of  coming  with  Glad  and  Bert 
and  me  to  the  cinema,  like  a  decent  Christian — it  was 
a  low  sort  of  thing  to  do,  I  think,  and  looked  as  if  we'd 
none  of  us  had  a  proper  education — and  all  they  have 
done  for  you  is  to  unsettle  your  mind,  my  dear — so  I 
tell  you." 

Katherine  Bush  smiled  complacently  and  looked  at 
her  sister  straight  in  the  eyes  in  her  disconcerting  way, 
which  insured  attention.  Matilda  knew  that  she  would 
now  have  to  listen  probably  to  some  home  truths.  She 
could  manage  Gladys  very  well  in  spite  of  her  giggles 
and  irresponsibility,  but  she  had  never  been  able  to 
have  the  slightest  influence  upon  Katherine  from  the 
moment  of  their  mother's  death,  years  before,  when 
she  had  taken  her  place  as  head  of  the  orphaned  house- 
hold. Katherine  had  always  been  odd.  She  had  a  vile 
temper  as  a  child,  and  was  silent  and  morose,  and  at 
constant  war  with  that  bright  boy  Bert,  loved  of  the 
other  sisters :  Matilda  remembered  very  well  many  scenes 
when  Katherine  had  puzzled  her.  She  was  so  often 
scornful  and  disapproving,  and  used  to  sit  there  with  a 
book  scowling  at  them  on  Sundays  when  a  rowdy  friend 

27 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

or  two  came  in  to  tea,  and  never  once  joined  in  the 
chorus  of  the  comic  songs  they  sang,  while  she  simply 
loathed  the  gramophone  records. 

"You  say  awfully  silly  things  sometimes,  Tild,"  Kath- 
erine  announced  calmly.  "There  would  not  be  any  good 
in  my  considering  myself  a  young  lady,  because  at  my 
present  stage  anyone  who  really  knew  would  know  that 
I  am  not — but  I  mean  to  become  one  some  day.  You 
can  do  anything  with  will." 

Matilda  bridled. 

"I  don't  know  what  more  of  a  lady  you  could  be  than 
we  all  are — Why,  Mabel  Cawber  always  says  that  we  are 
the  most  refined  family  of  the  whole  lot  at  Bindon's 
Green — and  Mabel  ought  to  know  surely !" 

"Because  her  father  was  a  solicitor,  and  she  has  never 
done  a  stroke  of  work  in  her  life.'"'  Katherine  smiled 
again — it  made  Matilda  feel  uncomfortable. 

"Mabel  is  a  perfect  lady,"  she  affirmed  indignantly. 

"I  will  be  able  to  tell  you  about  that  in  a  year's  time, 
I  expect,"  Katherine  said,  reflectively.  "At  present,  I 
am  not  experienced  enough  to  say,  but  I  strongly  feel 
that  she  is  not.  You  see,  Tild,  you  get  your  ideas  of 
things  from  the  trash  you  read — and  from  the  ridicu- 
lous nonsense  Fred  and  Albert  talk  after  they  come 
home  from  those  meetings  at  the  National  Brotherhood 
Club — fool's  stuff  about  the  equality  of  all  men " 

"Of  course  we  are  all  equal!"  broke  in  Matilda,  still 
rufHed. 

Katherine  Bush  smiled  again.  "Well,  I  wish  you 
could  see  the  difference  between  Fred  and  Bert  and  those 
gentlemen  I  see  through  the  glass  screen !  They  have 
all  got  eyes  and  noses  and  legs  and  arms  in  common,  but 
everything  else  is  different,  and  if  you  knew  anything 
about  evolution,  you'd  understand  why." 

28 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

"Should  I!"  indignantly. 

**Yes.  It  is  the  something  inside  the  head,  some- 
thing in  the  ideas,  produced  by  hundreds  of  years  of 
different  environment  and  a  wider  point  of  view — and  it 
is  immensely  in  the  little  customs  and  manners  of  speech 
and  action.  If  you  had  ever  seen  and  spoken  to  a  real 
gentleman,  Tild,  you  would  grasp  it." 

Matilda  was  quite  unmollified  and  on  the  defensive. 

"You  can't  have  two  more  honourable,  straightfor- 
ward young  fellows  than  our  brothers  in  no  family  in 
England,  and  I  expect  lots  of  your  gents  borrowing 
money  are  as  crooked  as  can  be !" 

Katherine  became  contemplative. 

"Probably — the  thing  I  mean  does  not  lie  in  moral 
qualities — I  suppose  it  ought  to — but  it  doesn't — We 
had  a  real  sharp  last  week,  and  to  look  at  and  to  hear 
him  talk  he  was  a  perfect  gentleman,  with  refined  and 
easy  manners ;  he  would  never  have  done  anything  in 
bad  taste  like  Fred  and  Bert  often  do." 

"Bad  taste !"  snorted  Matilda. 

"Yes — we  all  do.  No  gentleman  ever  tells  people  in 
words  that  he  is  one — Fred  and  Bert  say  it  once  a  week, 
at  least.  They  lay  the  greatest  stress  on  it.  No  real 
gentlemen  get  huffy  and  touchy ;  they  are  too  sure  of 
themselves  and  do  not  pretend  anything,  they  are  quite 
natural  and  you  take  them  as  they  are.  They  don't  do 
one  thing  at  home  at  ease,  and  another  when  they  are 
dressed  up,  and  they  aren't  a  bit  ashamed  of  knowing 
anyone.  Fred  does  not  speak  to  Ernie  Gibbs  when  he 
is  out  with  Mabel,  although  they  were  at  school  to- 
gether!" 

"Ernie  Gibbs !  Why,  Kitten,  he  is  only  a  foreman  in 
the  Bindon  Gas  Works !  Of  course  not !  Mabel  would 
take  on!" 

29 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

Matilda  thought  her  sister  was  being  too  stupid ! 

"Yes,  I  am  sure  she  would — that  is  just  it " 

"And  quite  right,  too !" 

Katherine  shrugged  her  shoulders.  There  was  not 
much  use  in  arguing  with  Matilda,  she  felt,  Matilda 
who  had  never  thought  out  any  problem  for  herself  in 
her  life — Matilda  who  had  not  the  privilege  of  knowing 
any  attractive  Lord  Algys ! — and  who  therefore  could 
not  have  grasped  the  immeasurable  gulf  that  she,  Kath- 
erine, had  found  lay  between  his  class  and  hers ! 

"They  say  Fred  is  a  capable  auctioneer  because  fa- 
ther and  grandfather  were — you  hear  people  saying  'it 
is  in  the  blood' — Well,  why  is  it,  Tild  ? — Because  hered- 
ity counts  just  as  it  does  in  animals,  of  course.  So 
why,  if  a  man's  father  and  grandfather,  and  much  fur- 
ther back  still,  have  been  gentlemen  commanding  their 
inferiors,  and  fulfilling  the  duties  of  their  station, 
should  not  the  traits  which  mean  that  show  as  plainly 
as  the  auctioneer  traits  show  in  Fred .'"' 

Matilda  had  no  answer  ready,  she  felt  resentful ;  but 
words  did  not  come,  so  Katherine  went  on: 

"You  can't  jump  straight  to  things  ;  they  either  have 
to  come  by  instinct  through  a  long  line  of  forebears,  or 
you  have  to  have  intelligence  enough  to  make  yourself 
acquire  the  outward  signs  of  them,  through  watching 
and  learning  from  those  who  you  can  see  for  yourself 
have  what  you  want." 

Matilda  called  for  another  cup  of  cocoa— she  dis- 
liked these  views  of  Katherine's. 

"You  see,"  that  young  woman  went  on,  "no  one  who 
is  a  real  thing  ever  has  to  tell  people  so  in  words.  Liv 
and  Dev  don't  have  to  say  they  are  two  of  the  sharpest 
business  men  in  London — anyone  can  realise  it  who 
inows  them.     You,  and  all  of  us,  don't  have  to  tell 

30 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

people  we  belong  to  the  lower  middle  class,  because  it  is 
plain  to  be  seen,  but  we  would  have  to  tell  them  we  were 
ladies  and  gentlemen,  because  we  are  not.  Lord  Al — oh! 
any  lord  who  comes  to  our  office — does  not  have  to  say 
he  is  an  aristocrat ;  you  can  see  it  for  yourself  in  a 
minute  by  his  ways.  It  is  the  shams  that  always  keep 
shouting.  Mabel  Cawber  insists  upon  it  that  she  is  a 
tip-top  swell;  Fred  thinks  he  is  deceiving  everyone  by 
telling  them  what  a  gentleman  he  is,  and  by  not  speak- 
ing to  Ernie  Gibbs,  who  is  an  awfully  good  fellow. 
Emily  says  she  is  a  splendid  general,  and  can't  even 
light  a  fire,  and  won't  learn  how  to.  George  Berker  in 
our  office  says  he  is  a  first-class  clerk,  and  muddles  his 
accounts.  Everything  true  speaks  for  itself.  I  always 
mean  to  be  perfectly  true,  and  win  out  by  learning." 

Matilda,  though  somewhat  crushed,  was  still  antag- 
onistic. 

"I'm  sure  I  hope  you'll  succeed  then,  my  dear!"  she 
snapped. 

"Yes,  I  shall."  Katherine  fired  her  bomb.  "It  may 
take  me  some  time,  but  that  does  not  matter,  and  the 
first  step  I  have  already  taken  is  that  I  am  leaving  Liv 
and  Dev's  on  Friday — and,  I  hope,  going  to  be  secre- 
tary to  Sarah  Lady  Garribardine,  at  a  hundred  and 
ten  Berkeley  Square,  and  Blissington  Court,  Blank- 
shire  !" 

"Well,  there !  You  could  have  knocked  me  over  with 
a  feather !"  as  Matilda  told  Gladys  later  in  the  evening. 
"And  wasn't  it  like  Katherine  never  telling  us  a  thing 
about  it  until  everything  was  almost  settled !"  But  at 
the  moment,  she  merely  breathed  a  strangled: 

"Oh,  my !" 

"If  I  get  it,  I  go  to  my  new  situation  next  week.  I 
had  a  tremendous  piece  of  luck  coming  across  it." 

31 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

"Well,  however  did  you  do  it,  Kitten?"  Matilda  de- 
manded. 

"I  saw  an  advertisement  in  the  Morning  Post — it 
was  quite  a  strange  one,  and  seemed  to  be  advertising  for 
a  kind  of  Admirable  Crichton — someone  who  could  take 
down  shorthand  at  lightning  speed,  and  typewrite  and 
speak  French — and  read  aloud,  and  who  had  a  good 
knowledge  of  English  literature,  and  thoroughly  knew 
the  duties  of  a  secretary." 

"Oh !  My !"  said  Matilda  again,  "but  you  can't  do 
half  of  those  things.  Kitten — we  none  of  us  know 
French,  do  we!" 

Katherine  smiled;  how  little  her  family  understood 
her  in  any  way ! 

"I  wrote  first  and  said  they  seemed  to  want  a  great 
deal,  but  as  I  had  been  with  Livingstone  and  Devereux 
for  three  years,  and  accustomed  to  composing  every  sort 
of  letter  that  a  moneylender's  business  required,  I 
thought  I  could  soon  become  proficient  in  the  other 
things." 

"Well,  I  never!     What  check!" 

"Then  I  got  an  answer  saying  Lady  Garribardine 
liked  my  communication,  and  if  I  proved  satisfactory 
in  appearance,  and  had  some  credentials,  she  would  en- 
gage me  immediately,  because  her  secretary,  who  had 
been  with  her  for  years,  had  gone  to  be  married — the 
salary  would  be  ninety  pounds  a  year  with  a  rise,  so  it's 
a  slight  move  up,  anyway,  as  I  am  to  be  kept,  and  live 
in  the  house." 

"You  are  cocksure  of  getting  it,  Katherine.?'* 

"Yes — I  mean  to — I  am  going  to  see  her  on  Sat- 
urday." 

"And  what  are  your  references  besides  Liv  and  Dev.'' 
Some  folks  don't  like  moneylenders." 

32 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

"I  wrote  and  said  I  had  no  others — but  they  would 
testify  to  my  capacity.  Liv  nearly  had  a  fit  when  I 
gave  my  notice — he  almost  cried  to  get  me  to  stay  on. 
I  like  the  old  boy — he  is  a  good  sort,  and  will  tell  the 
truth  about  me." 

"And  did  they  answer?" 

"Yes — just  to  say  I  was  to  come  for  the  interview 
on  Saturday." 

"They  want  to  see  you,  anyway — what  is  the  family, 
I  wonder?" 

Here  Katherine  recited  the  details  from  Debrett,  in 
which  volume  she  was  very  proficient. 

"An  old  lady,  then,"  Matilda  commented,  "and  with 
no  children  except  a  married  daughter!  That  will  be 
easier  for  you — but  why  is  she  called  'Sarah'?  I  often 
have  wondered  about  that,  when  I  read  names  in  the 
Flare.  Why  'Sarah  Lady  Something' — and  not  plain 
Lady  Something?" 

"It's  when  the  man  in  possession  is  married  and  you 
are  not  his  mother,"  Katherine  told  her,  "and  if  you  are, 
and  still  have  your  Christian  name  tacked  on,  it  is  to 
make  you  sound  younger.  Dev  says  dowagers  are  quite 
out  of  fashion.  Every  widow  is  'Sarah'  or  'Cordelia' 
now  in  the  high  society,  and  when  he  first  went  to  busi- 
ness, there  were  only  two  or  three.  Queen  Victoria 
never  stood  any  nonsense." 

Matilda  was  very  interested. 

"Whatever  will  you  do  about  your  clothes.  Kitten? 
You  have  nothing  nobby  and  smart  like  Gladys.  She 
could  lend  you  her  purple  taffeta  if  you  weren't  so  tall." 

"Oh,  I  manage  all  right.  I'll  have  a  talk  with 
Gladys  to-night;  she  sees  the  right  sort  of  people  at 
Ermantine's,  and  can  tell  me  what  to  get — and  I'll  buy 
it  to-morrow  in  my  lunch  hour." 

33 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

"Well,  I  am  just  rattled,"  Matilda  admitted.  "Then 
you'll  be  leaving  home  quite,  dearie?" 

"Yes,  Tild — and  I  shan't  be  sorry  except  to  be 
parted  from  you — but  I  daresay  I  shall  be  able  to  come 
and  see  3'ou  now  and  then." 

Matilda  looked  tearful. 

"You  never  were  one  of  us,  Katherine," 

"No,  I  know  I  never  was.  I  often  have  wondered 
what  accident  pitchforked  me  in  among  you,  always  the 
discordant  note  and  the  wet  blanket.  I  hark  back  to 
someone,  I  suppose — I've  always  determined  to  get  out, 
when  I  was  ready." 

"You  never  did  care  for  us — never.  Kitten." 

Katherine  Bush  remained  quite  unmoved. 

"No,  never  for  the  others — but  always  for  you,  Tild 
— and  I'll  never  forget  you,  dear.  There,  don't  be  a 
donkey  and  cry — the  people  at  the  next  table  are  look- 
ing at  you." 

This  argument  she  knew  would  calm  her  sister — who 
was  intensely  sensitive  to  everyone's  opinion. 

"And  supposing  they  don't  take  you?"  Matilda 
suggested,  in  a  still  quavering  voice,  "and  you've  given 
notice  to  Liv  and  Dev — I  call  it  awfully  risky." 

"Then  I  will  look  out  for  something  else — I  am  de- 
termined to  make  a  change,  and  see  a  new  world,  what- 
ever happens." 

After  supper  that  evening,  Gladys  was  invited  up 
to  the  warmed  attic  with  Matilda,  an  honour  she  duly 
appreciated.  They  all  stood  in  irritated  awe  of  Kath- 
erine. 

"I  want  to  talk  about  clothes,  Glad,"  she  said,  when 
they  neared  the  tiny  fireplace.  "I  have  told  Tild  i  am 
going  about  a  new  berth  on  Saturday." 

This  caused  the  same  astonishment  and  exclamations 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

as  Matilda  had  already  indulged  in — and  when  calm 
was  restored,  Gladys  was  only  too  pleased  to  show  her 
superior  knowledge. 

"I  don't  want  to  hear  about  any  of  those  actresses 
you  dress,  or  those  ladies  who  look  like  them,  I  want 
to  know  what  a  real,  quiet,  well-bred  countess,  say, 
would  have,  Glad." 

Miss  Gladys  Bush  smiled  contemptuously. 

"Oh,  a  regular  frump,  you  mean — like  the  ones  we 
can't  persuade  to  have  tight  skirts  when  they  are  first 
the  fashion,  or  loose  ones  when  it  changes — that  is  easy 
enough — it  is  to  get  'the  look'  that  is  difficult." 

"They  probably  would  not  engage  me  if  I  had  'the 
look,'  "  Katherine  remarked  cynically. 

"You'd  better  have  something  like  we  made  for  Lady 
Beatrice  Strobridge  last  week,  then,"  Gladys  suggested. 
"One  of  our  hands  can  copy  it  at  home,  but  there  won't 
be  time  by  Saturday.  You'd  better  wear  your  best 
blue  serge  and  get  a  new  hat  for  the  first  meeting." 

"Lady  Beatrice  Strobridge  must  be  the  Hon.  Gerard 
Strobridge's  wife,  my  new  employer's  late  husband's 
nephew.  Strobridge  is  the  Garribardine  name."  Kath- 
erine had  looked  up  diligently  the  whole  family,  and 
knew  the  details  of  each  unit  by  heart. 

"She  only  got  married  two  years  ago,"  Gladys  con- 
tinued. "She  was  Thorvil,  before — Lady  Beatrice 
Thorvil." 

"Wife  of  the  present  man's  younger  brother,"  quoted 
Katherine,  remembering  Debrett.  "He  is  about  thirty- 
five  ;  the  present  man  is  forty." 

"She  is  a  regular  dowdy,  anyway,"  Gladys  remarked. 
"One  of  those — we  have  a  bunch  of  them — that  wants 
the  things,  and  yet  with  their  own  touch  on  them,  spoil- 
ing the  style.     They  come  together  generally,  and  do 

35 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

make  a  lot  of  fuss  over  each  other — calling  'darlings' 
and  'precious'  all  the  time — fit  to  make  me  and  the  girls 
die  laughing  with  their  nonsense." 

"What  is  she  like — good-looking?"  Katherine  asked. 
She  only  questioned  when  she  wanted  specific  informa- 
tion, never  idly,  and  it  was  as  well  to  know  everything 
about  her  possible  new  employer's  family. 

"She  would  not  be  bad  if  she  did  not  stoop  so.  She 
hasn't  got  'the  walk'  neither,  no  more  than  the  'look'; 
sometimes  she's  all  right — at  least,  the  things  are  all 
right  when  they  go  home,  but  she  adds  bits  herself  af- 
terwards, and  spoils  them." 

Here  Matilda  interrupted. 

"Anyway,  she  is  one  of  the  ladies  you'll  see  in  your 
new  place.  Kitten.  I'd  certainly  have  that  same  dress, 
it  will  just  show  them  you  are  as  good  as  they,  if  you 
have  an  Ermantine  model." 

But  Katherine  thought  differently.  She  agreed  she 
would  have  something  in  the  same  subdued  style  as 
Lady  Beatrice  would  have  chosen,  but  not  the  actual 
copy,  and  after  settling  details  the  other  two  sisters 
left  her  for  bed. 

When  they  had  gone,  she  sat  by  the  fire  and  looked 
deeply  into  it,  while  she  thought  for  a  few  moments. 
Then  she  drew  a  letter  from  her  blouse  and  reread  it. 
It  was  from  Lord  Algy.  A  sweet  little  love  epistle. 
Just  to  tell  her  he  could  not  possibly  wait  for  the  whole 
month  before  seeing  her — and  was  coming  up  to  town 
the  following  week — and  would  not  she  lunch  with  him 
at  the  old  place — and  perhaps  stay  with  him  again  at 
the  Great  Terminus.^  It  ended  with  protestations  of 
passionate  devotion. 

No — never  again — she  had  tasted  of  the  cup  of  bliss, 
and  Fate  was  asking  her  to  pay  no  price.     She  must 

36 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

have  courage  now  to  renounce  all  further  pleasure. 
Once  was  an  experience,  twice  would  be  weakness — 
which  could  grow  into  a  habit — and  thence  lead  to  an 
abyss  which  she  shuddered  to  think  of. 

Katherine  Bush  had  never  read  Theophile  Gautier's 
masterpiece — but  there  was  something  in  her  character, 
as  Lord  Algy  had  remarked,  which  resembled  Made- 
moiselle de  Maupin's. 

She  went  to  her  little  writing-case  and  got  out  a 
sheet  of  paper,  and  then,  in  her  firm  round  hand  which 
looked  like  a  man's,  she  wrote  him  these  few  lines : 

Dear  Algy, 

I  want  you  to  forget  all  about  me — I  loved  our  little  trip, 
but  I  am  never  going  on  another.  I  shall  have  left  Liv  and 
Dev's  before  you  get  back,  and  you  won't  see  me  again. 
iWith  best  love  always.  K.  B. 

She  folded  it,  put  it  in  the  envelope — addressed  it 
and  stamped  it — then  she  put  it  ready  to  post  in  the 
morning. 

Her  face  was  white  and  set.  It  takes  a  strong  will 
to  renounce  tangible  present  happiness,  however  pro- 
found the  beliefs  in  the  future  may  be. 


CHAPTER  IV 

SARAH  Lady  Garribardlne  said  to  her  nephew, 
Gerard  Strobridge,  who  had  been  lunching  with 
her  on  that  Saturday : 

"You  must  go  now,  G.  I  am  expecting  a  new  secre- 
tary." 

"How  will  you  get  on  without  Miss  Arnott,  Sera- 
phim?    I  thought  she  was  irreplaceable." 

"So  she  is — I  am  interviewing  quite  a  new  type — she 
has  been  a  moneylender's  shorthand  typist." 

Mr.  Strobridge  raised  his  eyebrows — and  smiled  his 
whimsical  smile.     His  Aunt  Sarah  always  was  original. 

"Then  I'll  leave  you — Beatrice  has  at  last  made  up 
her  mind  not  to  chuck  the  Arberrys,  so  we  motor  down 
at  three  o'clock." 

"Has  Beatrice  been  unusually  tiresome?" 

"N-no — she  has  been  writing  odes  all  the  morning.'* 

"You  ought  never  to  have  married,  G. — You  would 
not  have  if  Alice  Southerwood  had  not  become  a  widow 
— a  man  can't  always  face  his  obvious  obligations." 

Gerard  Strobridge  laughed. 

"Then  I  shall  kiss  your  hand  and  say  farewell  until 
next  week — wisest  of  aunts !' 

He  suited  the  action  to  the  word,  and  left  the  room 
just  as  the  butler  was  about  to  open  the  door  and 
announce : 

"Miss  Bush,  Your  Ladyship." 

He  glanced  quickly  at  Katherine — this  was  the  young 
person   who   would  take   the   estimable  Miss  Amott's 

38 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 


place,  he  supposed.     She  was  quite  ordinary  looking. — 
He  went  on  down  the  stairs. 

"Come  and  sit  here  in  the  light,  please,"  Lady 
Garribardine  said,  as  Katherine  Bush  came  towards 
her. 

It  was  a  very  well-arranged  Katherine,  in  the  best 
blue  serge — and  a  new  hat— not  of  Gladys'  choosing. 
The  mop  of  hair  was  twisted  tight  without  the  least 
pretension  to  express  "the  look," — some  grey  suede 
gloves — bought  in  Paris  by  Lord  Algy — were  on  the 
wonderful  hands  which  remained  perfectly  still  in  their 
owner's  lap. 

"How  old  are  you.'"'  asked  Lady  Garribardine  by 
way  of  a  beginning. 

"I  was  twenty-two  last  September."  There  was  not 
a  trace  of  nervousness  in  Katherine  Bush's  deep  voice — 
indeed  she  felt  none. 

"And  what  does  your  family  consist  of — what  is 
your  status  in  life.?"  Lady  Garribardine  felt  perhaps 
she  ought  to  ascertain  this  before  going  further. 

"We  are  just  middle  class.  My  father  was  an  auc- 
tioneer at  Bindon's  Green  where  we  live.  He  and  my 
mother  are  both  dead.  I  have  a  sister  who  is  a  sales- 
woman at  Madame  Ermantine's,  the  others  are  at  home. 
My  eldest  brother  has  taken  father's  place,  the  younger 
one  is  in  a  bank." 

"And  how  long  have  you  been  at  this  business  ?" 

"Since  I  was  nineteen — ^before  that  I  kept  the  ac- 
counts at  a  pork  butcher's." 

"Indeed ! And  what  makes  you  think  you  would 

be  capable  of  filling  my  situation?" 

"It  is  not  very  easy  to  be  a  competent  moneylender's 
secretary  and  a  shorthand  writer." 

"No — perhaps  not." 

39 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

"Mr.  Livingston  and  Mr,  Devereux  will  teU  you  that 
I  did  not  make  a  failure  of  it." 

"ReaUy?" 

Katherine  was  silent. 

"Really,"  Lady  Garribardine  repeated  again.  "You 
mean  that  you  think  you  can  pick  up  things  quickly." 

"Yes." 

"It  is  certainly  an  advantage.  I  hoped  to  find  some- 
thing exceptional  when  I  advertised." 

"Yes,  I  noticed  tiiat — and  it  was  because  your  ad- 
vertisement was  unusual  that  I  applied  for  the  post." 

She  rather  wondered  if  she  ought  to  have  put  in  any 
*'Ladyships" ;  she  remembered  Hanson,  Lord  Algy's 
valet,  was  very  prodigal  of  such  marks  of  respect — 
that  is  what  had  deterred  her.  Liv  and  Dev  often 
used  them,  too — to  new  and  prosperously  connected 
clients — ^but  she  did  not  wish  to  be  subservient  more 
than  was  necessary.  She  would  watch  and  listen — as 
she  had  watched  about  the  oysters. 

"Can  you  read  aloud?" 

Lady  Garribardine  was  fixing  her  with  her  flashing 
brown  eyes,  which  contrasted  so  unfavourably  with  the 
bronze-gold  wig  she  wore  so  bravely. 

"I  have  never  tried.  If  I  did  it  wrong  the  first  time 
and  you  corrected  me,  I  expect  I  wouldn't  do  it  twice." 

"That  is  something — and  your  voice  is  refined — ^you 
did  not  acquire  that  at  the — er — pork  butcher's.''" 

"No,  I  acquired  it  by  listening  to  members  of  the 
upper  classes  who  came  to  borrow  money — I  had  a 
cockney  twang  like  my  sisters,  I  daresay,  in  the  be- 
ginning." 

"That  shows  you  can  learn  things." 

"Yes,  it  is  only  stupid  people  who  can't." 

"You  are  not  stupid,  then?" 

40 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 


"No,  but  Mr.  Livingston  or  Mr.  Devereux  can  tell 
you ;  either  will  speak  for  me." 

Lady  Garribardine  was  amused ;  she  digressed  a  little 
from  her  cross-examination. 

"You  found  Jews  agreeable  to  work  with?" 

"Very.  You  know  where  you  are  with  them.  They 
do  not  pretend,  and  they  are  very  generous." 

"In-deed!" 

"Yes — people  have  a  preconceived  notion  of  Jews,  I 
find — quite  faulty  as  a  rule — they  know  what  to  pay 
for — they  are  far  less  fools  than  other  races.  I  re- 
spect them." 

"That  is  most  interesting." 

Katherine  was  silent  again. 

"Why  did  you  leave  them?" — after  a  pause  in  which 
Lady  Garribardine  was  pitilessly  scrutinising  her  pos- 
sible secretary. 

"Because  I  had  learned  all  that  I  could  there,  and  I 
wanted  a  new  vista " 

"And  you  think  you  would  find  it  with  me?" 

"With  any  lady  in  your  world — you  can  learn  things 
wherever  you  go,  if  you  wish  to." 

"Very  true.  And  how  about  French — you  speak 
that.?" 

Katherine  Bush  reddened  a  little.  A  memory  came 
to  her  of  the  profound  shock  that  the  French  of  Paris 
had  been  to  her  ear. 

"I  can  write  it  quite  correctly — but  I  have  discov- 
ered that  my  pronunciation  is  ridiculous."  She  con- 
fessed it  quite  frankly. 

"How  did  that  happen.?" 

"I  taught  it  to  myself — mostly — and  then  I  heard  it 
spoken — and  I  knew  mine  would  sound  wrong." 

"Do  you  think  you  could  overcome  that?" 

4j1 


THE  CAREEB  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

"Yes,  if  I  were  in  France  long  enough." 

"Have  you  travelled  ?" 

"No — not  really.  I  have  been  to  Paris  for  a  holiday 
once — I  have  only  learnt  about  places." 

"And  English  Hterature.?" 

"It  is  the  thing  I  care  most  for — I  have  read  a  great 
many  books.  I  read  usually  until  about  one  in  the 
morning." 

"Have  you  a  good  temper.'^  You  are  not  uppish, 
eh.?" 

"I  suppose  it  depends — I  know  that  when  you  take 
money  to  do  a  thing  you  have  got  to  do  it,  and  put 
up  with  orders  and  manners  that  you  would  not  stand 
for  one  second  if  you  were  the  person  paying." 

"That  is  quite  a  good  definition  of  respectful  ser- 
vice." 

"It  is  common  sense." 

"You  appear  to  have  some  of  that." 

Again  silence. 

"I  have  not  a  good  temper!"  Lady  Garribardine 
lauglied — she  was  greatly  diverted. 

"I  guessed  not." 

"How.?" 

"I  had  to  read  characters  quickly  at  Livingston  and 
Devereux's " 

"You  are  observant.?" 

"I  think  so " 

"Can  you  play  the  piano.?" 

"I  could  once,  and  I  had  a  queer  gift  for  reading 
the  notes — but  I  liave  never  practised  since  we  had  a 
gramophone — I  grew  to  loathe  music." 

"'J'hat  is  hopeful " 

Then  Her  Ladyship  got  up  and  went  to  her  writing- 
table,  terribly  littered  with  all  sorts  of  papers.     She 

42 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATIIERINE  BUSH 

dived  among  a  conglomerate  mass — and  picked  up  two 
letters. 

"Would  you  oblige  me  by  answering  these,  Miss — er 
— ^Bush?  I  could  then  better  judge  of  your  capabili- 
ties." 

Katharine  took  them ;  on  one  envelope  was  written  in 
a  spidery  hand  in  pencil,  "Refuse  gracefully;"  upon 
the  other,  "Get  out  as  best  can." 

She  looked  for  a  portion  of  the  blotting  pad  which 
was  clear  enough  to  use,  then  she  sat  down  and  selected 
a  pen,  while  she  glanced  up  with  her  steady  wise  eyes. 

"Has  Your  Ladyship  any  particular  paper  for  this 
sort  of  thing?"  Here  was  a  suitable  moment  for  the 
use  of  the  honorific  she  felt. 

"Yes,  that  white  paper  with  the  coronet  in  plain 
black  and  the  address." 

Lady  Garribardine  sat  down  by  the  fire  and  stared 
into  it.  She  had  not  been  so  interested  in  a  specimen 
of  humanity  for  years. 

Katherine  Bush  read  the  letters  through  carefully 
and  the  first  one  a  second  time,  then  she  began  to  write : 


To  the  Secretary  of  the  League  for  Discouraging  Polygamy 
among  the  Mohammedans  of  India: 

Dear  Sir, 

I  am  asked  by  Sarah  Lady  Garribardine,  to  tell  you  that 
while  sympathising  deeply  with  the  admirable  object  of 
your  League,  she  thinks  the  field  over  which  it  must  ob- 
viously be  spread  is  too  vast  for  a  small  contribution  to  be 
of  much  avail,  and  therefore,  while  thanking  you  for  your 
interesting  papers  upon  the  subject,  she  is  sorry  that  she  is 
unable  to  forward  you  any  more  substantial  help. 
I  am,  dear  sir, 

Yours  faithfully, 

Katherine  Bush  (Secretary). 
43 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

The  other  letter  ran: 

To  the  Matron  of  tlie  Nonconformist  Detention  and  Peni- 
tential Hostel  for  Lost  Women: 
Madam, 

I  beg  to  inform  you  that  Sarah  Lady  Garribardine  is 
leaving  town  shortly  and  therefore  cannot  avail  herself  of 
the  pleasure  and  honour  of  visiting  your  useful  institution. 
She  desires  me  to  express  to  you  her  thanks  for  your  invi- 
tation. 

I  remain,  madame. 

Yours  faithfully, 

K.  Bush  (Sec.). 

She  looked  carefully  to  see  what  style  of  address  was 
necessary  and  wrote  out  the  envelope — and  when  all 
was  ready  she  rose  and  took  them  to  the  young-old  lady 
by  the  fire. 

She  stood  quite  still  while  they  were  perused,  and  then 
smiled  inwardly  when  Lady  Garribardine  gave  a  cyni- 
cal chuckle. 

"I  think  you  will  do  very  well,  Miss  Bush!  Please 
find  some  stamps,  and  put  them  in  that  basket  to  be 
posted — and — er — you  can  ring  the  bell — I  shall  expect 
you — bag  and  baggage — on  Wednesday  next." 

This  was  abrupt,  but  Katherine  Bush  felt  it  was 
what  it  should  be. 

"You  do  not  require  the  testimony  of  Mr.  Livingston 
or  Mr.  Devereux.''" 

"No — I  can  judge  for  myself — er — Good  morning." 

The  bell  had  been  answered  almost  instantly  and  so, 
bowing,  Katherine  Bush  followed  the  servant  down  the 
stairs,  and  soon  found  herself  in  the  street,  a  strange 
sense  of  content  in  her  heart. 

She  knew  the  West  End  very  well — and  walked 
briskly  along  Hill  Street  and  so  on  past  Dorchester 

44 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

House — into  the  Park.  All  the  leaves  were  off  the 
trees.  The  November  daj  was  beautifuUj  fine  and 
bright  and  movement  was  a  pleasure. 

So  the  first  part  of  her  new  game  was  won  at 
all  events. 

She  reviewed  the  whole  set  of  impressions  she  had 
taken.  Firstly,  that  the  house  was  a  fine  one — it  had 
"the  look,"  if  houses  could  be  said  to  show  this  quality. 
That  is,  it  was  beautifully  kept  and  filled  with  what  she 
guessed  from  study  at  the  Wallace  Collection  must  be 
rare  and  costly  furniture.  There  were  some  things  she 
thought  ugly — but  "the  look"  was  often  ugly,  she  knew 
by  experience — from  Gladys'  verbose  descriptions  to 
Ethel  and  Matilda. 

Apart  from  "the  look"  it  had  an  air  of  distinction. 
It  was  the  abode  of  denizens  of  Lord  Algy's  world — 
that  was  evident.  The  man  she  had  met  on  the  thres- 
hold of  the  morning  room  door  was  certainly  of  his 
class — and  rather  nice-looking. 

As  for  her  future  employer,  she  was  a  new  specimen 
to  her.  Katherine  meant  what  the  French  call  a  type, 
but  she  did  not  know  this  expression. 

"She  is  certainly  over  sixty,"  she  said  to  herself. 
"She  is  a  dark  woman  naturally,  and  her  hair  ought  to 
be  grey.  The  whole  thing  is  spoilt  by  that  silly  golden 
wig — curled  tight  like  Royalty's.  She  would  have  quite 
a  nice  figure  for  her  age  if  she  were  not  all  pushed  up 
by  those  old-fashioned  corsets.  Why  had  she  such  big 
ears  and  such  red  hands  for  so  great  a  lady?  Her 
rings  were  buried  in  fat.  The  circulation  was  evidently 
wrong  somewhere.  As  for  her  voice — it  was  one  of  the 
voices!  The  female  counterpart  of  the  echoes  from 
over  the  glass  screen — and  the  manner  was  quite  as 
casual. 

45 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

**Just  as  insolent  as  I  shall  be  when  I  hold  the  same 
sort  of  place.  She  was  born  to  it — I  shall  have  ac- 
quired it — we  both  when  we  are  dead  will  be  said  to 
have  well  filled  our  situations." 

Thus  mused  Kathcrine  Bush  on  a  November  day  in 
Hj'de  Park — and  turning  out  of  Albert  Gate  suddenly 
she  almost  walked  into  the  arms  of  Lord  Algy. 


CHAPTER  V 

DARLING  pet!     What  a  delightful  surprise!" 
"Algy!    Where  did  you  spring  from?" 
Then  they  both  drew  quick  breaths. 

"Come  back  towards  the  Serpentine,  I  must  talk  to 
you.  Your  horrid  little  note  made  me  feel  quite 
wretched,  and  I  have  been  to  Liv  and  Dev's  to-day,  and 
they  refused  to  give  me  your  address — why  were  you 
such  a  little  cat,  darling?'* 

"I  was  not  a  cat,  Algy." 

They  had  turned  and  were  walking  towards  the  Row. 

"I  meant  what  I  wrote — I  want  you  to  forget  all 
about  me.  Joys  can't  go  on — I  have  other  things  to 
do,  dear." 

"But  it  is  perfectly  brutal  of  you,  Katherine,  when 
I  love  you  so — and  you  love  me — at  least  you  told  me 
that  you  did !" 

Katherine  Bush's  heart  was  beating  very  fast — would 
she  have  courage  to  keep  to  her  determination  now  that 
she  saw  him  face  to  face? 

He  looked  so  extremely  delectable,  here  in  the  low- 
ering sunshine.  He  was  everything  that  a  woman  could 
desire  in  the  way  of  a  lover. 

"I  am  in  the  hell  of  a  mess,  too,"  he  sighed.  "My 
father  has  cut  up  awfully  rough  about  my  transactions 
with  Liv  and  Dev — and  I  had  a  bad  week  at  Doncaster. 
I  am  in  for  a  regular  facer  and  am  obliged  to  agree  to 
be  transferred  to  the  Egyptian  army  for  three  years. 
Everything,  even  you,  are  against  me." 

47 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

"No,  I  am  not,  Algy."  There  was  quick  sympathy 
and  distress  in  her  deep  voice.  "I  hate  to  think  that 
jou  are  unhappy,  and  you  know  that  I  would  help  you 
in  any  way  I  could." 

"Then  be  kind  to  me,  darling — and  don't  say  you 
never  want  to  see  me  again." 

Katherine  Bush  felt  this  was  a  supreme  occasion — 
and  that  she  must  not  waver.  She  so  longed  to  com- 
fort him,  to  let  him  kiss  her  and  forget  all  his  cares. 
The  cynical  side  of  her  character,  even  at  this  moving 
moment,  whispered  that  it  was  fortunate  that  they  were 
out  of  doors ! 

"When  do  you  start  for  Egypt.'"' 

"As  soon  as  I  can  get  ready — my  mother  and  sisters 
are  going  to  winter  out  there,  but  probably  I  shall  be 
sent  to  the  Soudan !" 

Katherine  had  heard  that  they  killed  lions  or  some- 
thing in  that  part  of  the  world,  she  knew  that  sport 
meant  a  great  deal  in  Lord  Algy's  life. 

"You  will  get  some  kind  of  shooting,  won't  you?"  she 
suggested  by  way  of  consolation. 

But  Lord  Algy  looked  full  of  misery.  They  had 
walked  on,  taking  a  side  path  and  were  now  in  sight  of 
two  chairs. 

"Let  us  go  and  sit  down,"  he  pleaded.  "I  want  to 
look  at  you.  I  can't,  I  won't  believe,  that  you  don't 
mean  ever  to  be  my  own  girl  any  more." 

"Algy,  I  do  mean  it — ^just  as  much  for  you  as  for 
myself." 

They  had  reached  the  chairs  and  sat  down,  Lord 
Algy  pushed  his  hat  to  the  back  of  his  head;  his  im- 
maculately brushed  hair  glistened  bronze  in  the  setting 
sun,  and  his  forehead  was  puckered  with  distress.  His 
attractive  eyes   sought  hers   with   a   fond  persistence. 

48 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

Katherine  Bush  was  obliged  to  clench  her  hands  tight 
in  the  pockets  of  her  coat. 

"Why,  what  in  Heaven's  name  for?  Why  must  we 
part?"  he  demanded  fiercely.  "Katherine,  I  have  missed 
you  awfully — I  have  not  known  what  to  do  with  my- 
self— and  before  this  bother  fell  upon  me,  I  had  deter- 
mined to  come  up  to  ask  you  to  marry  me — we'd  be 
awfully  happy  married,  darling — like  we  were  in  Paris. 
I  have  never  loved  anything  half  so  much  as  our  time 
together.'* 

"It  is  dear  of  you  to  say  that,  but  I  would  not  marry 
you  for  anything  in  the  world,  it  would  spoil  every- 
thing, destroy  a  memory  that  has  not  got  any  flaw  in 
it. — Listen  to  me,  Algy — I  went  with  you  because  I 
wanted  to — I  wanted  to  understand  hfe,  and  find  out 
what  is  worth  while,  and  what  men  are  like.  I  am  only 
at  the  beginning  of  existence  and  I  intend  to  learn  most 
of  its  meaning  before  I  die.  I  thought  that  whatever 
cold,  tiresome  path  I  might  have  to  follow  afterwards, 
to  carry  out  my  scheme  of  things,  I  would  at  least  have 
some  good  hours  to  remember  with  you,  so  I  went  de- 
liberately— but  I  never  meant  to  do  it  again.  Let's 
both  be  grateful  for  what  we  have  had  and  part 
friends." 

"I  simply  can't,"  protested  Lord  Algy,  growing  more 
and  more  full  of  emotion,  as  he  felt  the  attainment  of 
his  desires  receding  from  him.  "I  call  it  awfully  cold- 
blooded of  you,  Katherine,  and  I  can't  and  won't  con- 
sent to  it.  I  want  you — I  want  you  now — to-night," 
and  he  stretched  out  his  arms.  "I  am  sick  with  longing 
for  you — I  mean  it,  darling.  I  have  been  away  with 
other  girls  often  before,  Jack  Kilcourcy  and  I  stayed 
down  the  river  with  Laure  de  Laine  and  Mary  Green 
this  June.    Laure  was  my  friend,  and  she  simply  wasn't 

49 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

a  patch  on  you,  pet,  in  any  way,  and  I  didn't  care  a 
straw  when  it  was  over,  although  they  are  such  celeb- 
rities, and  it  did  make  Berty  Aberhams  so  mad,  and  was 
such  a  score  off  the  bounder.  I  have  never  felt  any- 
thing like  I  feel  for  you,  darling — I  want  you  to  be 
my  wife." 

As  he  spoke,  something  withered  a  little  in  Katherine 
Bush;  his  unconscious  placing  of  the  affair  galled  her, 
although  she  knew  that  it  was  perfectly  just;  she  had 
gone  with  him  under  no  other  pretence  than  had  gone 
those  ladies  of  the  Frivolity  Theatre.  She  analysed  his 
simple  directness,  and  appreciated  the  triumph  con- 
vej'cd  to  her  in  the  final  expression  of  his  feelings,  but 
it  made  her  task  rather  easier.  She  saw  so  plainly  what 
a  renewal  of  their  relations  would  mean.  She  looked 
and  looked  at  him,  seated  dejectedly  there  beside  her, 
and  then  she  spoke,  and  her  voice  was  full  of  quiet 
determination  and  very  deep. 

"You  must  be  a  man,  Algy,  dear,  and  go  on  and 
make  something  of  your  life,  as  I  mean  to  do.  You  must 
be  a  great  soldier.  You  come  of  such  a  grand  old  fam- 
ily, you  ought  to  remember  what  all  your  ancestors 
have  done,  and  try  to  be  as  fine  as  they  were — It's  so 
paltry  to  drift — You  can  remember  me  if  you  want  to 
— as  someone  who  wasn't  weak,  even  though  I  am  only 
a  common  girl,  and  much  beneath  you  in  class.  If  I 
was  of  your  class  I  should  now  be  tempted  to  marry 
you,  and  then  I  expect  with  my  sort  of  nature  I'd  just 
shove  you  on  into  doing  something  great.  But  I  couldn't 
as  it  is,  all  my  time  would  be  taken  up  with  trying  to 
educate  myself  to  keep  my  own  head  above  water,  and 
trying  to  suppress  my  humiliation  at  the  contempt  of 
your  friends.  You  are  only  a  younger  son,  and  they 
would  never  forgive  you,  and  we  would  just  lead  a  hole 

50 


/-^'''^>: 


" ff<" 


.^ 


'You  must   ...   go  on  anri  make  something  of  your  life, 
as   I   mean  to  do.'  " 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

and  corner  sort  of  existence  in  wretched  poverty,  and 
grow  to  have  quarrels  and  not  love  at  all." 

He  was  going  to  interrupt  her  but  she  put  her  grey 
gloved  hand  across  his  lips.  "No,  dear,  don't  say  any- 
thing— I  want  to  go  away  from  you  with  the  memory 
that  you  have  asked  me  to  be  your  wife — I  cannot  be 
that  for  both  our  sakes,  and  it  would  cut  me  to  the 
heart  to  hear  you  say  words,  now  that  j^ou  know  this, 
which  would  mean  that  you  want  me,  failing  that,  to  go 
on  with  the  other  relation." — She  paused,  for  a  second, 
and  leaning  forward,  looked  straight  into  his  face — 
"Algy,  I  want  to  remember  you  as  a  really  perfect  gen- 
tleman." 

She  had  gained  her  point  with  this  last  appeal.  She 
saw  that  in  an  instant ;  he  straightened  himself  and 
raised  his  handsome  head,  while  the  pride  of  race  looked 
forth  from  his  eyes  for  a  moment,  and  then  was 
quenched  by  the  mist  of  tears. 

"You  are  a  splendid  girl,  Katherlne,"  he  said  in  a 
choking  voice,  "a  far  greater  lady  than  the  rotters  I 
have  to  dance  with  at  balls  and  see  as  my  sisters' 
friends.  You — by  Jove !  you  have  taught  me  to  respect 
women.  I  should  be  honoured  if  you  would  marry  me, 
and  my  family  ought  to  be  jolly  glad  to  get  such  a 
good  sort  among  them !" 

"Thank  you,  Algy !"  her  voice  now  trembled,  too. 
"Then  3'ou  understand,  dear,  and  I  want  you  to  do  just 
as  well  as  you  can  in  Egypt — and,  and — Algy,  do  try 
not  to  spend  so  much  money,  and  when  they  have  paid 
up  for  you,  don't  go  and  get  back  into  any  moneylend- 
er's hands.  They  are  not  all  so  honest  as  Liv  and  Dev. 
And  now  I  want  to  say  good-bye !  I  don't  want  to  be 
silly  and — cry " 

"Oh !  it's  too  cruel !"  he  exclaimed,  clasping  his  hands. 

51 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

"Katherine,  you  are  like — only  I  think  you  mean  to  be 
kinder  than  she  was — Mademoiselle  de  Maupi/n!" 

She  stiffened,  and  her  eyes,  which  were  growing  very 
misty,  became  hard  and  bright.  She  thought  he  was  re- 
ferring to  another  lady  of  the  half-world — of  Paris, 
perhaps,  this  time.  He  saw  that  she  had  misunderstood 
him,  and  he  added  quickly: 

"Darling,  she  is  in  a  book — ^by  a  fellow  called  Theo- 
phile  Gautier — she  was  a  wonder  and  so  are  you — I've 
always  thought  you  were  like  her,  but — Oh !  why  do  we 
talk  such  bosh  about  books  in  our  few  moments,  I  want 
to  tell  you  that  I  love  you.  Oh !  Katherine,  if  you  knew 
how  much !" 

The  hardness  all  melted  from  the  young  woman's 
grey-green  eyes  and  was  replaced  by  a  divine  sweetness. 

"Algy,"  she  whispered,  "it  is  good  to  hear  that,  and 
you  know  that  I  love  you,  too,  and  now  good-bye,  my 
dear — I  can't  bear  any  more." 

She  rose  quickly  and  drew  her  hand  away.  She  pas- 
sionately longed  for  him  to  take  her  in  his  arms. 

He  got  up  also,  he  was  extremely  pale,  and  more  than 
a  suspicion  of  mist  hung  upon  his  eyelashes.  As  a 
young,  splendid  lover,  he  could  not  have  looked  more 
desirable,  but  Katherine  Bush  never  lost  her  head. 

"Good-bye,  Algy,  and  God  bless  you,  dear." 

Two  people  were  approaching  or  he  certainly  would 
have  kissed  her — as  it  was  they  only  wrung  each  other's 
hands  and  Katherine  Bush  turned  and  walked  into  the 
gathering  twilight. 

He  watched  her  until  she  had  disappeared  and  then 
sat  down  again.  He  felt  quite  wretched.  She  seemed 
to  him  to  be  a  wonderful  character. 

"What  an  impotent  wretch  I  am  beside  her,"  he  said 
to  himself.     "But  I  should  never  be  able  to  make  the 

52 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

family  see  it.  My  mother  would  rather  I  married 
Elaine  Percival  with  her  five  thousand  a  year — "  then 
he  laughed  contemptuously — "Elaine  Percival !" 

For  the  first  time  in  his  life  he  began  to  reason  about 
things.  Katherine  Bush  was  of  course  perfectly  right. 
Marriage  would  have  been  madness,  as  he  had  always 
known  before  he  became  too  much  in  love  to  think; 
and  he  knew  he  had  been  lately  only  entirely  influenced 
by  selfish  desire,  and  had  never  so  much  as  faced  what 
the  consequences  would  be  either  to  himself  or  to  her. 
He  had  been  quite  ready  to  make  a  hash  of  both  their 
lives  just  because  he  wanted  her  so  badly  for  the  mo- 
ment. What  an  incredible  fool — and  she,  this  fine  girl, 
had  pulled  them  both  on  to  firm  land.  He  was  not  of 
the  type  who  could  contemplate  asking  a  woman  to  wait 
for  him  while  he  worked  to  obtain  a  home  for  her ;  such 
an  idea,  of  course,  never  entered  his  head.  He  had  no 
romantic  illusions  of  this  sort,  and  once  having  realised 
the  hopelessness  of  the  case  he  had  stoicism  enough  to 
accept  it.  But  the  things  she  had  said  affected  him 
deeply.  He  would  try  not  to  drift. — He  would  pull 
himself  together  and  do  his  best  to  become  a  fine  sol- 
dier. They  should  not  say  he  had  grumbled  over  going 
to  Egypt.  Oh !  if  there  could  only  be  a  war,  that  he 
might  go  out  and  fight !  But  wars  would  never  happen 
again  at  this  time  of  the  world's  day! 

The  present  pleasant,  easy  stage  of  his  life  had  come 
to  an  end,  and  unpleasant  realities  must  be  dealt  with, 
but  he  would  keep  ever  the  memory  of  this  splendid  girl 
in  his  heart,  the  memory  that  she  had  not  been  weak  or 
permitted  him  to  make  a  fool  of  himself  or  of  her. 

And  as  he  walked  on  out  of  the  Park  he  felt  a  new 
self-reliance  and  determination. 

Meanwhile,  Katherine  Bush  had  got  into  an  omni- 
53 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

bus  and  was  on  the  way  to  Victoria,  and  once  arrived  at 
Laburnum  Villa  and  her  attic,  she  carefully  wrote  down 
on  the  little  book  which  she  kept  for  jottings,  "Made- 
moiselle de  Maupin,  in  a  book  by  Theophile  Gautier," 
while  her  thoughts  ran : 

"He  did  not  say  what  was  the  name  of  the  story,  but 
I  can  read  the  whole  lot  this  man  wrote.  I'll  go  to  a 
French  library  on  Monday." 

Then  she  sat  down  in  her  armchair  by  the  fire  and 
reviewed  the  entire  chain  of  events. 

She  was  embarked  upon  a  new  current  which  would 
help  to  carry  her  to  some  definite  goal — she  was  out  of 
the  backwater.  It  was  not  a  voyage  to  Cythera,  but 
youth  was  at  the  prow,  and  ambition,  not  pleasure,  at 
the  helm ;  and  there  live  philosophers  who  say  these  two 
things  bring  more  lasting  good  than  all  the  bliss  that  is 
to  be  snatched  from  the  other  combination. — Who 
knows  ! — They  may  be  right ! 

Matilda  was  nervous  with  excitement  when  after  sup- 
per she  was  told  of  the  definite  settlement  of  her  sister's 
affairs. 

"So  you  are  really  engaged.  Kitten!"  she  exclaimed. 
"Now,  do  tell  me  all  about  it.  There's  a  dear — and 
what  was  she  like,  and  is  it  a  grand  house  and  are  you 
going  to  be  properly  treated  as  a  real  lady?" 

"Yes,  I  am  engaged.  I  am  to  go  in  on  Wednesday, 
'bag  and  baggage,'  as  Lady  Garribardine  said." 

"My !  what  a  vulgar  expression  for  a  lady  to  use.  Kit- 
ten— are  you  sure  she's  all  right?" 

Matilda  hated  what  was  not  genteel. 

"Oh!  yes,  Tild — she's  all  right — and  the  house  is 
beautiful — and,  yes,  what  you'd  call  grand — and  you 
may  be  sure  they  will  treat  me  exactly  in  the  way  I 
deserve  to  be  treated.    If  you  aren't  respected  it's  your 

54) 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

own  fault — people  don't  make  a  mistake  as  to  whom 
they  are  with  a  second  time,  even  if  they  do  the  first. 
If  anyone  gets  put  upon  continually,  or  gets  snubbed, 
it's  her  own  fault." 

Matilda  totally  disagreed. 

"There  you  are  quite  wrong.  Why,  look  at  Gladys ! 
Bob  treats  her  anyhow  sometimes  of  a  Sunday,  and  her 
as  good  as  gold." 

"Well,  she  has  made  him  think  that  he  can  by  not 
stopping  it  in  the  beginning.  It  is  never  a  question  of 
goodness  as  I  often  tell  you  about  things,  it  is  a  ques- 
tion of  force.  Goodness  does  not  count  unless  it  is  so 
perfect  that  it  is  a  force,  too — like  Christ's." 

"Oh,  my!  What  awful  things  you  do  say,  Kath- 
erine !" 

Matilda  felt  so  uncomfortable  when  her  sister  spoke 
of  what  she  thought  ought  only  to  be  mentioned  in 
church ! 

"No,  I  merely  tell  the  truth,  it  is  the  weakhngs  who 
do  all  the  harm  in  the  world,  never  the  bad  or  good." 

"Well,  what  was  Lady  Garribardine  like.?"  Matilda 
was  tired  of  abstract  speculations. 

"She  was  tall  and  rather  stout,  and  had  a  golden  wig 
— and  black  eyes — and  she  understood  things.  She 
knows  how  to  order  her  house,  because  the  servants  had 
the  same  awe  for  her  as  the  office-boy  has  for  Liv.  Her 
writing-table  was  awfully  untidy,  though.  I  expect  she 
has  not  much  method,  and  it  is  just  personality  and 
temper  which  causes  her  to  be  obeyed." 

"You  won't  stand  being  ordered  about  ever,  Kitten?" 

"It  will  depend  on  how  much  good  I  feel  I  am  getting 
out  of  it.  If  the  place  and  people  in  it  are  being  les- 
sons for  me,  I  shan't  mind  what  she  says — I  shall  stick 
it  out  and  try  never  really  to  deserve  a  scolding." 

55 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

"Was  there  anyone  else  there?"  Matilda  was  still 
cnrious. 

"Yes — a  man  left  when  I  was  going  in.  He  had  a 
clever  face.  I  shall  like  him,  I  believe,  if  he  comes  there 
often." 

"You  won't  go  falling  in  love  with  any  of  them  gen- 
tlemen. Kitten,"  Matilda  pleaded  affectionately. 

Slie  felt  that  things  might  develop  as  they  did  in  the 
cases  of  the  innocent  actresses  and  governesses  and  the 
villains  in  her  serials. 

"Have  I  ever  been  given  to  fallmg  in  love?"  Kath- 
erine  asked  with  a  humorous  flash  in  her  eyes. — "You 
have  not  seen  me  tumble  into  the  arms  of  Charlie  Prod- 
gers  or  Percy  Watson — ^have  you?" 

"No,  dearie,  but  these  gentlemen  in  your  new  biz 
might  be  different  and  might  not  mean  so  honest  by 
you.  I  do  wish  I  could  hope  to  see  you  settled  with 
Charlie  some  day.  He  is  such  a  dear  fellow,  and  very 
rising.  He'll  be  head  clerk  at  the  estate  agent's  he  is 
in  very  soon,  and  could  give  you  a  comfortable  home  like 
this  is  for  your  own ;  and  no  need  to  be  hanging  on  for 
years  like  Glad  and  Bob." 

"Can  you  picture  me  settled  in  a  comfortable  home 
with  Charlie  Prodgers,  Tild!"  Katherine  laughed  out 
at  the  idea,  it  seemed  so  comic  to  her.  "He  is  as  great 
a  snob  as  Fred,  and  even  more  ignorant.  I  would  not 
let  him  button  my  boots,  much  less  call  himself  my  hus- 
band !  I'd  as  soon  be  dead  as  tied  to  that !  At  Brix- 
ton, too!  With  the  prospect  of  being  the  mother  of 
numbers  of  sandy-haired  little  Prodgers.  What  an  out- 
look!" 

Matilda  was  hurt.  They  had  never  spoken  in  words 
upon  this  secret  hope  of  hers,  but  she  had  often  hinted 
at  it,  and  Katherine  had  been  silent  and  seemingly  pre- 

56 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

occupied,  but  not  actually  scornful,  and  to  hare  the 
scheme  denounced  with  derision  and  the  happy  picture 
scoffed  at  was  a  blow  to  her  which  she  could  not  bear 
in  silence.     She  felt  indignant. 

"Charlie  Prodgers  is  good  enough  for  any  young 
lady.  Mabel  herself  thinks  highly  of  him.  He  is  one 
of  the  few  of  Fred's  gentlemen  friends  that  she  thinks 
worthy  to  be  asked  into  her  mother's  house — and  I 
would  have  liked  to  have  seen  you  married  into  her  set 
safely  before  she  becomes  our  sister-in-law,  and  can 
patronise  you." 

"Then  I  am  afraid  I  must  disappoint  you,  dear," 
Katherine  now  tried  to  hide  her  smile.  "I  have  quite 
another  game  to  play  in  life.  But  why  don't  you  keep 
him  for  Ethel — she  is  nearly  sixteen  and  will  soon  be 
looking  out  for  a  young  man — or  take  him  yourself  .'''* 

This  was  a  new  idea  for  Matilda.  She  had  always 
been  too  loyal  to  dream  of  turning  her  eye  in  the  direc- 
tion of  one  whom  she  regarded  as  exclusively  her  sister's 
property. 

She  bridled  a  little — the  picture  was  so  glorious — 
if  it  only  could  be  hers !  Charlie  Prodgers  who  scorned 
to  be  seen  in  anything  but  a  frock  coat,  unless,  of 
course,  he  went  golfing — Charlie  Prodgers  who  each 
Sunday  attended  the  church  parade  in  Hyde  Park  as 
a  matter  of  course!  But  would  he  ever  look  at  her.'' 
Proud,  haughty  fellow !  and  she  not  so  pretty  as  Kath- 
erine— and  not  half  so  nobby  as  Gladys.  But  stranger 
things  than  that  happened  in  her  serials,  and  she  need 
not  feel  that  it  was  quite  hopeless.  But  how  could 
Kitten  willingly  relinquish  such  triumph?  There  must 
be  something  of  a  suffragette  in  her  after  all,  since  no 
girl  in  her  senses  could  ask  more  of  fortune ! 

The  Sunday  was  spent  by  Katherine  in  packing  up 

57 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

all  her  belongings  and  in  selecting  the  books  she  meant 
to  take  with  her,  a  volume  or  two  of  Voltaire,  Bacon's 
Essays,  Kant  and  Bergson,  and  a  new  acquisition, 
Otto  Weininger's  "Sex  and  Character."  This  latter 
had  interested  her  deeply.  There  was  a  great  deal  of 
biting  truth  in  his  analysis  of  women,  and  it  was  prob- 
ably also  true  that  they  did  not  possess  souls ;  but  she 
totally  disagreed  with  his  ending  of  the  matter  that  the 
solution  of  the  problem  lay  in  a  voluntary  annihilation 
of  the  human  species  through  abstinence  from  procre- 
ation. She,  for  her  part,  thought  that  it  was  taking 
things  out  of  the  Hand  of  God,  or  the  Divine  Essence, 
or  whatever  the  great  Principle  should  be  called — and 
her  eminently  practical  mind  failed  to  see  the  use  of 
such  far-reaching  speculations.  "The  poor  man  was 
mad,  of  course,"  she  said,  as  she  closed  the  book  again 
before  packing  it.  "But  I  will  try  to  watch  the  fem- 
inine traits  in  myself  and  crush  them.  He  has  taught 
me  that  amount,  in  any  case.  And  if  I  have  no  soul,  I 
have  a  brain  and  a  will,  and  so  I  am  going  to  obtain 
as  much  as  a  woman  can  get  with  those  two  things.  As 
for  the  infinite,  men  are  welcome  to  that,  as  far  as  I 
am  concerned !" 

She  looked  forward  with  deep  interest  to  perusing 
the  story  with  Mademoiselle  de  Maupin  in  it.  What 
could  it  be  about?  She  had  hardly  thought  that  Lord 
Algy  had  read  at  all,  he  never  spoke  of  books — but  it 
was  perhaps  not  surprising;  they  had  been  always  too 
occupied  in  more  agreeable  converse.  How  good  it  was 
to  remember  all  that,  even  though  never  in  her  life  she 
should  have  such  foolish  sweetness  again! 

She  had  not  the  slightest  sentiment  about  "leaving 
home" ;  she  would  have  found  such  a  thing  quite  ridicu- 
lous.   On  the  contrary,  a  sense  of  exaltation  filled  her. 

58 


THE  CABEEE  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

She  was  going  forever  from  this  cramped,  small  attic 
and  the  uncongenial  environment  of  the  house.  And  she 
must  hold  herself  in  stern  command  and  never  waste  an 
opportunity  to  improve  herself  in  manner  and  mind. 
Of  course,  she  might  be  liable  to  make  a  few  mistakes 
at  first,  and  the  work  might  be  hard,  but  if  will  was 
strong  and  emotions  were  checked,  the  road  to  success 
and  development  of  her  personality  could  not  be  a  long 
one.  And  when  she  had  gained  freedom — how  splen- 
didly would  she  use  it !  There  should  be  no  false  values 
for  her ! 

Her  new  dress,  the  one  in  the  style  of  Lady  Beatrice 
Strobridge,  would  be  home  by  the  Tuesday  night,  and 
she  had  got  a  "dressy"  blouse  from  Oxford  Street,  in 
case  she  should  ever  have  to  appear  in  the  evenings. 
She  would  do  very  well,  she  felt. 

The  family,  with  the  exception  of  Matilda,  were  not 
sorry  that  she  was  departing.  The  father  had  left  La- 
burnum Villa  and  a  certain  sum  to  keep  it  up  for  the 
benefit  of  the  whole  bunch  of  them ;  and  when  Mr.  Fred- 
erick Bush  would  move  into  a  house  of  his  own  with 
the  refined  Mabel  Cawber,  Gladys  and  Bert  and  Ethel 
looked  forward  to  an  uninterrupted  time  of  jollity,  un- 
clouded by  Katherine's  aloofness  and  contempt. 

Matilda  alone  grieved  in  secret.  She  thought  Kath- 
erine  was  superior  to  them  all  in  spite  of  her  reserve, 
and  the  last  evening,  while  she  sat  with  her  by  the  attic 
fire,  she  told  her  so. 

"No,  I  am  not,  Tild — I  am  not  superior.  I  am  just 
different — all  our  aims  are  as  wide  apart  as  the  poles. 
Glad  and  Ethel  and  the  boys  never  want  to  learn  any- 
thing— they  resent  the  thought  that  there  could  be 
anything  that  they  do  not  know.  Their  whole  attitude 
is    resentful    towards    any    knowledge.      They   like    to 

59 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

browse  on  deceiving  themselves  over  every  question  and 
aspect  of  life.  So  they  will  all  just  stay  where  they  are. 
Fred,  an  auctioneer,  henpecked  by  Mabel ;  Bert,  a  clerk. 
Poor  Glad,  the  downtrodden  drudge  of  Bob  Hartley, 
and  Ethel  probably  something  of  the  same.  You,  dear 
old  Tild,  will  be  a  sentimental  old  maid  looking  after  the 
others'  children — because  you  are  entirely  a  'mother 
woman' — unless  you  take  Charlie  Prodgers,  as  I  said 
the  other  day,  and  have  heaps  of  little  Prodgers!  Oh! 
it  is  all  just  respectable,  comfortable  squalor — and 
words  won't  express  how  glad  I  am  to  get  out  of  it  I" 

Matilda  was  quite  incensed. 

"Pd  rather  be  a  lady,  however  poor,  in  my  own  circle, 
and  treated  as  such  there,  than  a  servant  in  a  grand 
house  as  you're  going  to  be.  Kitten.  I'd  let  them  see 
I'd  be  above  taking  their  orders  1" 

She  hoped  this  taunt  would  tell,  but  Katherine  only 
smiled. 

"Poor,  dear  old  Tild,"  she  said.  "You  do  not  know, 
perhaps,  that  it  is  a  wise  man  who  understands  how  to 
obey  those  placed  over  him,  and  to  exact  the  same  obe- 
dience from  those  beneath.  When  I  have  learned  my 
lessons  and  liave  obtained  a  place  of  command,  then  I 
shall  not  only  enforce  obedience,  but  I  shall  remove 
from  my  path  anyone  who  crosses  my  will." 

"Oh,  my  !"  gasped  :\Iatilda. 

"Do  you  suppose  I  argued  with  Liv  and  Dev  and 
showed  them  that  I  would  not  take  their  orders?  No, 
of  course  not ;  tliey  valued  me  and  raised  my  salary  be- 
cause I  did  what  I  was  told  to  do.  They  were  paying 
me  money  and  were  in  a  position  to  command.  No  one 
forced  me  to  take  their  money;  I  went  there  of  my  own 
free  will,  and  was  to  do  specified  things  for  a  specified 
remuneration.    I  did  them  to  the  best  of  my  ability,  and 

60 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 


so  I  am  going  on  to  something  better.  Lady  Garribar- 
dine  is  paying  me  ninety  pounds  a  year  with  a  rise ;  and 
I  am  to  be  hers  to  command  for  certain  things.  When 
I  have  learned  all  that  that  situation  can  teach  me,  I 
shall  get  a  larger  and  higher  position,  and  so  on 
until  I  reach  my  goal,  when  I  shall  rule — do  not  fear, 
Tild.    /  shall  rule." 

"I  daresay  you  will,"  Matilda  admitted,  awed. 

Katherine's  face  had  a  strange,  compelling  force 
when  she  spoke  thus. 

"But  we  aren't  all  the  same,  Kitten.  Glad,  for  in- 
stance, has  more  pride;  look  how  she  left  Brown  and 
Melbury's,  where  she  was  getting  more  than  at  Erman- 
tine's,  because  she  would  not  take  orders  from  the  new 
manager  they  put  over  her  department." 

"That  sort  of  pride  was  entirely  worthy  of  Gladys' 
intelligence,  and  it  had  landed  her  with  a  less  salary,  no 
one's  added  respect,  and  not  much  to  look  forward  to  in 
the  future."  And  then,  with  a  burst  of  feehng,  "Oh! 
Tild,  if  I  only  could  make  laws,  I  would  enforce  educa- 
tion to  such  an  extent  that  there  could  not  be  left  any 
fools  Hke  Gladys !" 

Then  she  said  good-night  to  Matilda  and  gently 
pushed  her  from  the  room,  where  she  looked  as  though 
she  meant  to  stay  for  another  half-hour,  and  returning 
^  to  her  armchair,  she  began  to  read  that  book  of  Theo- 
\Aphile  Gautier's  wliich  she  had  bought  on  the  Monday 
morning,  and  discovered  that  its  title  was  simply  "Ma- 
demoiselle de  Maupin." 


CHAPTER  VI 

LADY  GARRIBARDINE  was  having  a  tea-partj 
with  some  good  music,  when  Katherine  Bush  ar- 
rived. She  reahsed  immediately  that  it  was 
stupid  of  her  to  have  chosen  the  afternoon  for  her  en- 
trance into  her  new  post,  and  Bronson,  the  dignified 
butler,  left  her  in  no  doubt  as  to  his  view  of  the  mat- 
ter, as  he  directed  the  hurried  transport  of  her  luggage 
through  the  hall. 

"Her  Ladyship  expected  you  this  morning,  miss," 
he  said,  severely. 

"Then  she  should  have  told  me  at  what  hour  I  was 
to  come,"  Katherine  answered,  quietly ;  "she  mentioned 
none." 

Bronson  stared.  Miss  Arnott,  clergyman's  daughter 
though  she  was,  would  never  have  said  a  thing  like  that ; 
she  would  have  been  nervous  and  apologetic  in  a  min- 
ute, poor  thing!  But  this  young  woman,  whom  Bron- 
son had  very  good  reason  to  believe,  from  what  he  had 
been  able  to  gather,  belonged  merely  to  the  lower  mid- 
dle class,  had  yet  the  audacity  to  give  herself  all  the 
airs  and  calm  assurance  appertaining  to  a  lady  of  the 
world ! 

Here  the  entrance  of  two  guests  took  up  his  at- 
tention, a  man  and  a  woman. 

Katherine  stood  back  and  waited  for  directions,  while 
she  watched  closely.  The  man  was  the  same  that  she 
had  seen  on  the  former  occasion.  The  woman  inter- 
ested her ;  she  was  tall  and  droop}',  with  wide  vague 

62 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATIIERINE  BUSH 

eyes,  and  a  wisp  of  buffish  chiffon  about  her  neck  inside 
her  furs,  whicli  Bronson  assisted  her  to  remove.  Then 
Katherine  saw  that  she  wore  the  dress  which  Gladys 
had  described,  and  which  in  its  general  features  had 
been  taken  more  or  less  as  the  model  for  her  own. 

This  must  be  Lady  Beatrice  Strobridge. 

"Gerard,"  the  lady  said,  rather  querulously,  "I  don't 
mean  to  stay  for  more  than  ten  minutes — so  don't  get 
away  into  some  difficult  corner  with  Lao,  if  you  mean 
to  leave  with  me." 

The  man  answered  with  polite  Indifference. 

"Bronson  will  see  you  safely  to  the  motor;  I  prom- 
ised my  aunt  to  stay  to  hear  Venzoni ;  he  is  sure  to  be 
late." 

Then  they  went  on  up  the  marble  stairs  and  a  young 
footman  was  sent  with  Katherine  Bush  in  the  lift  at  the 
back  of  the  hall. 

"  'Gerard' — it  is  a  nice  name — and  he  looks  a  nice 
man,"  she  mused,  while  they  were  carried  aloft,  "and 
he  is  bored  with  his  wife.  Gladys  was  quite  right ;  why 
did  she  have  that  rag  of  chiffon.'*  It  spoilt  the  whole 
dress." 

The  housekeeper  met  her  when  they  arrived  in  the 
top  passage,  and  took  her  under  her  wing. 

"Some  tea  will  be  sent  to  your  room,  miss,"  she  in- 
formed her,  "and  Her  Ladyship  said  she  would  not  have 
time  to  see  you  this  evening,  but  you  would  doubtless 
have  things  to  unpack  and  arrangements  to  make  for 
yourself.     Your  trunks  will  be  up  in  a  minute." 

And  then  she  opened  the  door  into  a  back  room  which 
faced  west,  so  the  afterglow  of  the  setting  sun  made 
it  not  quite  dark.  There  was  a  fire  burning,  and  it  all 
appeared  gay  when  the  housekeeper  turned  on  the 
lights,  with  its  old-fashioned  rose-flowered  chintz  on  a 

63 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSK 

bright  parrot-green  ground.  There  was  a  scent  of 
lavender,  too,  and  Katherine  Bush  was  pleasantly  im- 
pressed ;  nothing  looked  cheap  and  gimcrack  like  the 
bedrooms  in  Laburnum  Villa,  she  thought,  or  still  more 
those  at  the  house  of  Mabel  Cawbcr,  which  were  the 
envy  of  Matilda's  soul.  The  furniture  here  was  solid 
mahogany  of  early  Victorian  make,  and  the  armchair 
gave  the  impression  that  It  would  be  a  pleasant  place 
to  rest  in. 

When  she  was  alone,  Katherine  Bush  made  herself 
take  In  every  detail.  Lady  Garribardine  had  suggested 
that  she  was  observant ;  she  must  remember  that  and  al- 
ways cultivate  this  faculty,  for  she  realised  that  every 
trifling  thing  would  be  different  from  anything  she  had 
ever  known. 

She  liked  the  space  of  the  place,  she  would  not  feel 
that  she  was  tumbling  over  things.  There  was  an 
empty  bookcase  awaiting  her  books,  no  doubt,  and  a 
big  sensible  writing-table  there  in  the  window  where 
there  would  be  plenty  of  light.  The  wardrobe  was  a 
monster,  ample  room  In  It  for  any  amount  of  clothes! 
How  pleasant  not  to  have  to  put  most  things  away  In 
cardboard  boxes  under  one's  bed — often  to  find  them 
discoloured  by  dust  when  taking  them  out  again !  And 
how  pretty  and  quaint  was  the  china  on  the  washstand, 
matching  the  chintz.  And  the  towels !  Of  finer  quality 
— and  nearly  as  many  as  there  had  been  at  the  Palatial 
in  Paris,  which  she  had  supposed  was  a  case  of  French 
hotel  extravagance  and  not  what  would  be  the  custom 
in  private  life. 

Slie  fingered  them  softly.  They  were  arranged  pecu- 
liarly, too,  with  the  top  fold  turned  back  so  that  ono 
could  pick  them  up  in  a  second.  Katherine  Bush 
smiled  cynically  when  she  remembered  her  two  coarse 

64 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

huckabacks,  changed  only  every  Saturday  at  Laburnum 
Villa ! 

Everything  gave  the  Impression  of  spotless  cleanli- 
ness and  order.  The  brass  hot-water  can  and  the  fender 
and  the  fire-irons  all  shone  with  superlative  polishing. 

Presently  her  tea  was  brought  up  by  a  housemaid  in 
neatest  black,  with  a  cap  and  apron  which  would  have 
made  Em'ly  snort  with  indignation  had  she  been  asked 
to  wear  them,  so  unmodish  was  their  style !  It  was  a 
joy  to  have  a  perfectly  arranged  tea-tray  with  shining 
silver  and  pretty  porcelain,  a  tray  all  to  herself,  too, 
instead  of  a  breakfast  cup  already  poured  out  and 
mixed  with  milk  and  sugar,  and  probably  a  little  of  the 
contents  upset  into  the  saucer,  which  also  contained  a 
thick  slice  of  bread  and  butter  and  a  piece  of  cake !  This 
is  what  she  had  always  been  accustomed  to  at  the  office, 
or  on  Saturday  afternoons  at  home,  while  she  read  her 
books  and  a  sister  brought  her  tea  up  to  her  attic.  And 
with  the  exceptions  of  a  Lyons  or  an  A.  B.  C.  restau- 
rant, and  the  brief  time  of  glory  in  Paris,  when  choco- 
late was  the  order  of  the  day,  this  one  unappetizing  cup 
had  represented  to  her  what  many  women  look  forward 
to  as  the  most  delightful  meal  of  all. 

The  housemaid's  manner  had  been  quiet  and  respect- 
ful, as  she  drew  the  curtains  and  shut  out  the  dying 
light,  the  muffin  was  done  to  a  turn,  and,  above  all,  the 
tea  tasted  as  tea  had  never  tasted  before.  She  was  too 
ignorant  as  yet  to  know  that  it  was  China,  not  the  rank- 
est Ceylon  which  she  was  accustomed  to,  but  she  found 
it  particularly  nice,  though  rather  weak.  The  whole 
room  and  the  service  and  the  atmosphere  spoke  of  in- 
habitants who,  somehow  she  knew,  belonged  to  the  same 
class  as  those  whose  voices  she  had  always  admired 
from  beyond  the  half-high  glass  screen. 

65 


THE  CABEEB  OF  KATHEBINE  BUSH 

She  sat  and  dreamed  for  a  while  before  beginning  her 
unpacking.  Pier  heart  ached  underneath  for  Lord 
Algy — but  aches  arc  possible  to  bear  wlicn  there  is  an 
clement  of  triumph  and  self-glorification  about  them. 
She  was  quite  aware  that  she  had  behaved  remarkably 
well,  and  in  a  manner  which  Lord  Algy  could  never  look 
back  upon  but  with  respect.  And  to  renounce  happi- 
ness and  union  when  the  other  person  is  clamouring  for 
a  continuance  of  relations,  brings  a  great  measure  of 
consolation,  because  there  is  no  wound  to  the  self-love, 
no  disastrous  feeling  that  but  for  personal  stupidity 
the  ache  need  not  be.  There  is  even  a  melancholy  pleas- 
ure in  it,  giving  a  pensive  sadness  not  all  pain. 

After  a  while,  she  began  to  arrange  her  clothes  and 
books,  and  it  had  struck  seven  o'clock  before  all  was 
complete  and  she  had  sat  down  again  to  finish  "Made- 
moiselle de  Maupin,"  which  had  so  thrilled  her  far  into 
the  night. 

She  read  French  quite  easily,  but  she  was  not  accus- 
tomed to  judge  of  its  style,  and  as  yet  hardly  appre- 
ciated nuances,  but  the  story,  the  cynical,  enchanting, 
wonderful  story,  seized  hold  of  her  imagination.  As  she 
read  the  last  words,  the  book  dropped  into  her  lap  and 
she  stared  in  front  of  her.  She  saw  what  Lord  Algy 
had  meant — and  it  flattered  her  greatly.  She  under- 
stood entirely  Thcdore^s  feelings.  How  wise  she  had 
been  to  go  !  How  she  had  grasped  the  salient  points 
of  life!  And  she,  Kathcrine  Bush,  no  great  lady,  but  a 
daugliter  of  the  lower  middle  class,  had  evolved  some 
such  instincts  herself — had  played  her  game  with  equal 
coolness,  and  had  lived  through  some  such  joys. 

She  thrilled  and  thrilled.  The  subtle,  whimsical,  pol- 
ished wit  of  the  book  seemed  to  open  some  new  vista  of 
comprehension   to  her.      She  did  not  perceive  its   im- 

66 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 


morality.  She  would  read  it  over  again  and  again — 
and  everything  else  this  man  had  written.  It  seemed 
that  she  was  newly  awakened  to  a  sense  of  power  that 
she  had  not  known  she  possessed.  If  only  she  could 
have  read  this  before  she  had  gone  to  Paris,  what  a  help 
it  would  have  been ! 

"So  Algy  was  not  so  ignorant,  after  all,"  she  mused. 
"Of  course,  he  must  have  thought  I  was,  and  so  did  not 
let  me  see  that  he  himself  was  more  than  a  fool — darling 
Algy."  But,  at  all  events,  he  had  thought  she  was  like 
Theodore,  only  kinder — that  was  good  enough !  Well, 
she  would  make  that  true  some  day,  and  meanwhile  she 
was  away  from  stultifying  squalor — away  from  minds 
only  interested  in  petty  local  affairs — away  from  sham 
gentility,  away  from  gramophones  and  cinemas — away 
from  pretence,  away  among  the  real  things  where  she 
could  learn  to  understand  every  shade  of  the  meaning 
of  life  step  by  step !  And  at  this  stage  of  her  musings, 
after  a  gentle  knock  the  same  housemaid  opened  the 
door  with  a  can  of  hot  water. 

"Your  dinner  will  be  served  in  the  secretary's  room 
at  eight  o'clock,  miss ;  it  is  half-past  seven  now.  When 
would  you  like  me  to  return  to  fasten  you  up?" 

The  two  red  spots  appeared  in  Katherine  Bush's 
cheeks.  So  she  had  been  expected  to  change  her  dress — • 
and  she  had  not  thought  of  doing  so !  She  had  not 
even  imagined  that  she  would  go  again  downstairs  or 
have  any  dinner  after  that  wonderful  tea !  A  little 
supper  probably  on  a  tray  later  on,  or  something  like 
that. 

But  here  was  dinner !  perhaps  the  same  kind  of  meal 
as  she  had  had  with  Lord  Algy.  Of  course,  she  ought 
to  have  known  that  she  must  change  her  dress.  She 
felt  very  angry  with  herself,  and  after  the  exaltation 

67 


THE  CABEEE  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

over  her  own  instincts  this  was  a  fall !  But  she  would 
never  err  again,  and  fortunately  the  housemaid  would 
not  know  that  she  had  been  ignorant. 

"My  things  fasten  in  the  front,  thank  you,  so  that 
I  need  not  trouble  you,"  she  answered,  graciously ;  "but 
will  you  tell  me,  please,  where  I  shall  find  the  secretary's 
room  ?" 

The  housemaid  gave  directions — but  one  of  the  foot- 
men would  be  certain  to  be  in  the  hall  and  would  show 
her.  Thomas,  the  one  who  had  brought  her  up,  would 
wait  on  her. 

"When  you  are  ready,  miss,  will  you  please  ring,  and 
I  will  whistle  down  to  say  you  are  coming.  We  always 
did  for  JMiss  Arnott,  and  then  they  serve  the  dinner  at 
once.  This  bell  rings  up  and  this  one  down ;  it  is  the 
upstairs  one  for  me.  I  am  Martha,  the  second  house- 
maid, miss,  and  will  be  pleased  to  do  anything  I  can 
for  you." 

Kathcrine  Bush  thanked  the  girl  again  and  quickly 
began  to  dress,  and  at  a  minute  or  two  to  eight  was  on 
her  way.  This  upper  staircase  she  found  descended  to 
the  ground  floor  independently  of  the  stately,  shallow 
marble  one  she  had  walked  up  on  to  the  sitting-room 
on  her  former  visit  and  which  went  no  farther  than 
the  first  floor. 

Thomas  was  waiting  for  her  and  conducted  her  to 
a  room  down  the  corridor,  whose  windows  she  discovered 
later  looked  out  on  a  dull,  blank  wall.  It  had  comfort- 
able, solid,  leather-covered  furniture,  the  relic  possibly 
of  some  country  smoking-room,  and  faded  crimson  silk 
brocade  curtains,  the  discarded  splendour  of  a  salon, 
perhaps.  These  were  cosily  drawn,  and  there  was 
plenty  of  electric  light,  and  she  saw  that  there  would 
be  space  to  do  her  typing  on  the  solid,  large  table, 

68 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

and  to  keep  all  records  in  those  capacious  cupboards 
which  lined  the  walls.  The  feeling  that  she  was  in 
space  again  gave  her  satisfaction;  she  had  so  often 
longed  to  break  down  the  partition  of  her  attic,  or 
stretch  out  and  push  away  the  glass  screen  at  Liv  and 
Dev's.  The  room  was  very  high,  too — another  advan- 
tage. 

"I  shall  always  have  large,  high  rooms  when  I  have 
won  my  game,"  she  said  to  herself. 

A  small  table  by  the  fire  was  laid  for  one.  She  made 
herself  notice  the  silver  and  the  glass  and  the  cloth,  and 
almost  immediately  Thomas  brought  in  a  large  tray 
with  her  dinner.  There  was  soup  in  a  quaint  covered 
cup  with  two  handles,  and  some  hot  silver  dishes. 

He  placed  them  all  with  regularity  within  her  reach, 
and  then  asked  respectfully  if  she  would  please  to  ring 
when  she  was  ready  for  her  sweet.  Miss  Arnott  was 
wont  to  take  claret,  he  informed  her,  but  what  would 
she.  Miss  Bush,  desire  to  drink? 

"A  cup  of  tea,"  almost  escaped  from  the  tip  of  Kath- 
erine's  tongue — but  she  stopped  herself.  Probably  one 
did  not  take  tea  with  one's  dinner  even  alone  like  this, 
and  if  she  had  it,  Thomas  would  know  that  she  was  not 
accustomed  to  the  regulation  things.  Water  would  be 
safest.  So  she  indicated  her  wishes  and  Thomas  left 
the  room. 

A  sense  of  strangeness,  almost  of  awe,  stole  over  her, 
a  sensation  she  had  not  felt  even  when  with  Lord  Algy 
in  the  gilded  luxury  of  the  Paris  hotel.  She  had  known 
then  that  those  surroundings  were  just  part  of  any 
demi-Tnondavne^ s  life,  and  could  be  had  by  the  lowest 
for  money — but  these  were  quite  different.  These  were 
rather  shabby,  but  were  the  expression  of  people  who 
had  had  them  for  countless  years,  and  were,  of  course, 

69 


THE  CABEEB  OF  KATHEBINE  BUSH 


ordinary  and  everyday  in  their  existences — the  whole 
atmosphere  affected  her. 

She  was  glad  that  Thomas  had  gone  out  of  the  room. 
She  knew  that  at  the  present  stage  she  should  hate  to 
,be  watched,  while  she  ate,  by  a  silent  servant. 

"But  I  must  accustom  myself  to  that,"  she  told  her- 
self, for  Algy,  she  remembered,  had  never  seemed  to 
remark  servants  at  all,  and  would  go  on  talking  to  her, 
while  his  coat  was  being  handed  or  his  boots  put  on,  as 
though  Hanson  did  not  exist. 

She  was  hungry  and  began  to  break  her  bread.  She 
wished  she  felt  quite  sure  whether  or  no  she  was  ex- 
pected to  turn  the  soup  out  into  the  soup  plate  or  drink 
it  as  it  was?  She  decided  to  try  the  former  course, 
since  of  what  use  was  the  soup  plate  if  it  had  not  been 
brought  for  that  purpose? 

The  food  proved  to  be  excellent;  and  the  sweet  and 
fruit  just  to  her  taste,  and  when  all  was  finished, 
Thomas  removed  everything  and  folded  up  the  small 
table  and  put  it  back  into  its,  evidently,  accustomed 
corner,  and  bringing  her  the  evening  papers,  he  made 
up  the  fire  and  left  her  alone. 

This,  she  supposed,  would  be  the  time  she  would  have 
to  herself.  She  hardly  noticed  the  headlines  as 
she  glanced  at  the  news ;  her  mind  was  too  full  of  her- 
self and  her  new  life  to  take  interest  in  outside 
things. 

Where  did  that  door  lead  to?  she  wondered — a  heavy 
mahogany  door ;  but  she  was  soon  to  know,  for  it 
opened  suddenly,  and  the  man  she  had  already  twice 
seen  came  in,  leaving  it  open  after  him,  so  that  she 
could  perceive  that  the  room  he  had  left  was  a  dim, 
vast  library ;  it  was  lined  with  books. 

*'I  beg  your  pardon,"  he  said.    "I  have  come  for  some 

to 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

large-sized  paper.     My  aunt  used  to  have  it  kept  ia 
this  drawer,  I  think." 

Katherine  Bush  rose  while  he  went  to  get  it  out  for 
himself — he  was  not  her  employer,  and  she  did  not  yet 
know  where  things  were  kept,  so  she  did  not  offer  to 
help  him.  He  was  in  evening  dress,  and  his  hair 
was  as  well  groomed  as  Lord  Algy's,  but  not  cut  quite 
so  short,  and  it  was  brushed  straight  back  from  his 
forehead  and  was  brown  and  thick.  His  face  was  tired 
and  humorous  and  very  distinguished,  but  for  the  mo- 
ment he  looked  cross  and  impatient.  The  paper 
was  evidently  not  where  he  had  thought  that  it  would 
be. 

"Confound  it!''  he  muttered,  almost  inaudibly,  and 
then  aloud,  "I  am  in  a  great  hurry.  Will  you  please 
look  in  those  cupboards  while  I  look  in  these  .P" 

Katherine  Bush  did  as  she  was  asked,  and  chanced 
upon  the  paper  immediately.  She  handed  it  to  him 
without  a  word.  She  noticed  that  he  hardly  looked  at 
her,  and  did  not  take  in  her  personality  at  all.  She 
was  just  his  aunt's  new  secretary  and  typist;  and  more 
important  matters  pressed. 

"Thanks,  awfully;"  then  he  glanced  at  the  table, 
where  the  typing  machine  used  by  Miss  Arnott  stood. 
"Oh ! — er — I  was  wondering  if  you  would  be  so  awfully 
kind  as  to  type  this  when  I  have  written  it ;  it  is  a  letter 
I  must  send  to  the  Times,  and  I  shall  have  to  go  in  to 
dinner  in  a  minute.' 

"I  have  not  seen  how  this  machine  works  yet,"  Kath- 
erine Bush  answered,  "but  if  you  care  to  dictate,  I  can 
take  it  down  in  shorthand  and  then  write  it  out  very 
quickly  afterwards." 

"That  is  most  kind  of  you — will  you  come  into  the 
library  then.'' — my  notes  are  there." 

71 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

She  followed  him  silently,  and  when  he  had  found 
some  scribbled  words  written  on  the  back  of  an  envel- 
ope, he  went  to  the  hearth-rug,  and,  leaning  against  the 
mantelpiece,  began  to  speak.  Katherine  had  taken  up 
a  block  and  pencil  and  was  waiting  ready. 

He  was  not  coherent  at  first ;  he  had  neither  Mr.  Liv- 
ingstone's precise,  oily  slowness,  nor  Mr.  Devereux's 
crisp  fluency.  She  took  down  exactly  what  he  had  said. 
Then  he  asked  her  to  read  it  aloud. 

"That  is  frightful  English!"  he  exclaimed,  impa- 
tiently. "I  never  can  dictate  properly,  I  must  always 
write  myself  or  my  ideas  do  not  flow." 

"If  the  substance  is  all  right  and  it  is  just  the  Eng- 
lish you  want  regulated,  I  can  do  that  when  I  copy  it 
out." 

He  looked  at  her  in  doubt,  and  Katherine  smiled  to 
herself — this  flattered  her. 

"It  would  be  awfully  kind  of  you  if  you  would, 
though,"  he  went  on,  hesitatingly.  "I  have  kept  them 
waiting  a  quarter  of  an  hour  as  it  is.  Could  you  do  it 
immediately  and  send  it  in  to  the  dining-room  by  one 
of  the  footmen.?  I  have  my  fountain-pen  with  me,  I  will 
sign  it  there.  It  is  to  be  addressed  to  the  Editor  of  the 
Times." 

"Yes,  I  will." 

Mr.  Strobridge  thanked  his  aunt's  new  secretary 
courteously  as  he  went  towards  the  door,  and  then  he 
left  the  room.  At  the  moment  of  his  exit,  Katherine 
Bush  heard  the  sound  of  voices,  male  and  female ;  they 
were  evidently  going  in  to  dinner  without  waiting  for 
him.  She  looked  up  at  the  clock,  it  was  ten  minutes  to 
nine;  then  she  smiled  again  and,  fToing  to  the  writing- 
table,  she  began  her  task,  a  very  simple  one  to  her  who 
was  accustomed  to  frame  euphonious  sentences.     And 

72 


THE  CAEEEB  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

when  she  had  completed  it,  she  went  back  into  the  sec- 
retary's room  and  rang  the  belL 

"This  is  to  be  taken  to  Mr. — is  his  name  Strobridge? 
— Lady  Garribardine's  nephew,"  she  told  the  astonished 
Thomas. 

"Yes,  miss.  Her  Lady  ship'' s  nephew  is  the  Honour- 
able Mr.  Gerard  Strobridge — if  you  mean  him." 

"Yes,  I  do — he  is  dining  here  and  wants  it  at  once." 

She  made  no  further  explanation,  but  took  up  the 
paper  and  reseated  herself  in  her  chair  by  the  fire ;  and 
Thomas  could  but  obey  orders. 

"A  cool  card,"  he  whistled  to  himself,  as  he  disap- 
peared. 

Meanwhile,  Gerard  Strobridge  was  saying  to  the  lady 
at  his  side : 

"I  had  to  repudiate  Warrington's  insolence  in  the 
Central  Gazette  to-night.  I  have  written  to  the  Times 
— that  is  what  made  me  keep  even  you  waiting,  dearest 
lady.  My  aunt's  new  shorthand  typist  took  it  down, 
and  I  shall  send  it  off  in  a  few  minutes.  I  hope  it  will 
not  be  too  late." 

"You  look  quite  serious,  G.,"  the  lady  laughed.  "It 
is  too  attractive  to  see  you  in  earnest  over  something!" 

"I  am  always  in  earnest — especially  when  I  tell  you 
that  I  love  you — wh}'  did  you  not  come  this  afternoon, 
Lao,  I  stayed  late  on  purpose  and  you  never  turned 
up." 

"I  knew  I  should  meet  you  to-night,  G. — and  I  do 
not  want  soon  to  grow  bored !" 

Mr.  Strobridge  looked  at  her  reproachfully.  She 
was  extremely  pleasant  to  the  eye,  with  her  marvellous 
skin  and  dark  hair,  and  her  curly  affected  mouth.  He 
was  a  cynic  and  an  epicurean.  He  was  not  in  the  least 
disenchanted  by  his  knowledge  that  the  whole  woman 

73 


THE  CAJREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

Tras  a  mass  of  affectation,  from  the  conscious  pouting 
of  her  red  lips  to  the  -Ray  she  held  her  soup  spoon.  He 
rather  admired  the  skill  she  showed  in  it  all.  She 
pleased  his  senses,  had  just  enough  wit  to  chirp  like  a 
parrot  good  things  others  had  said,  and  was  full  of 
small  talk — while  she  knew  the  game  to  her  finger-tips. 
He  did  not  want  the  repetition  of  a  serious  affair  since 
he  had  so  happily  escaped  by  the  skin  of  his  teeth  from 
Alice  Southerwood.  Liio  Delemar,  widowed  and  rich 
and  circumspect,  promised  an  agreeable  winter  to  him, 
with  few  complications. 

Women  were  more  or  less  necessities  to  Gerard  Stro- 
Ijridge's  life ;  they  were  his  choruses,  his  solaces,  his 
inspirations. 

In  a  few  minutes  a  footman  brought  the  large  en- 
velope, and  amidst  general  chaff  he  read  aloud  the  letter, 
his  astonishment  momentarily  growing  at  the  apt  re- 
arrangement of  his  words. 

"She  is  no  fool,  your  new  secretary,  Seraphim,"  he 
called  down  the  table  to  his  aunt.  "I  do  thank  you  for 
her  services  to-night." 

Sarah  Lady  Garribardine  laughed  complacently. 

^'I  told  you,  G.,  I  had  found  a  treasure  in  Miss  Kath- 
erine  liush!" 


CHAPTER  VII 

OVER  a  week  had  gone  bj  and  Katherine  Bush  had 
completely  fallen  into  her  duties ;  they  were  not 
difficult,  and  she  continued  to  keep  her  eyes  and 
lier  intelligence  on  the  alert,  and  by  the  second  Sunday 
when  she  Avas  to  have  the  afternoon  to  meet  Matilda, 
she  had  begun  to  feel  that  a  whole  ocean  had 
rolled  between  the  present  Katherine  and  the  crea- 
ture of  the  days  before  the  outing  in  Paris  with  Lord 
Algy! 

She  had  made  one  or  two  annoying  mistakes  and  had 
had  one  or  two  surprises,  some  pleasant  ones.  It  was 
agreeable  to  have  a  cup  of  tea  when  one  woke,  and  one's 
curtains  drawn  back  by  an  attentive  housemaid  every 
morning,  and  a  deep  hot  bath,  instead  of  a  scramble  in 
a  small  tin  tub  on  Saturday  nights.  Tliere  was  a  bath- 
room in  Laburnum  Villa,  but  during  the  week  Matilda 
used  it  for  keeping  all  sorts  of  things  in,  and  there  were 
such  a  number  of  them  to  have  the  bath  in  turns  on  Sat- 
urday and  Sunday,  that  Katherine  had  preferred  the 
indifferent  comfort  of  a  makeshift  in  her  own  attic.  It 
seemed  on  looking  back,  after  ten  days  of  modest  lux- 
ury, that  it  never  could  have  been  possible  that  she  had 
gone  on  month  after  month,  and  year  after  year,  in  the 
family  circle. 

Her  heart  swelled  with  gratitude  to  Lord  Algy;  but 
for  him  she  might  never  have  known  that  there  was  any- 
thing different.  At  these  moments  she  knew  that  she 
could  easily  slip  into  sentiment  about  him  again,  and 

75 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

so  she  invariably  crushed  her  emotion  and  began  some 
active  work. 

At  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning  it  was  her  duty  to  go 
to  Lady  Garribardine  in  her  bedroom,  where  she  would 
find  lier  propped  up  upon  lacy  pink  silk  pillows,  a  saucy 
cap  and  ribbons  covering  the  greater  part  of  a  more 
coquettish  and  rather  lighter  golden  wig  than  the  one 
she  wore  in  the  day.  Her  face  had  not  yet  been  ar- 
ranged, and  presented  a  sad  contrast  to  these  youthful 
allurements.    Her  temper  was  often  very  precarious. 

Katlierine  stood  by  the  bed,  block  in  hand,  and  took 
down  all  instructions.  Lady  Garribardine's  voluminous 
correspondence  was  only  attended  to  in  the  morning; 
the  accumulations  of  the  later  part  of  the  day  before 
were  heaped  up  in  one  basket  tray,  and  the  early  posts 
in  another.  While  a  third  empty  one  awaited  those 
communications  which  were  to  be  answered  either  in 
type  or  in  handwriting. 

Now,  after  ten  days  of  service,  Katherine  had  mas- 
tered most  of  Lady  Garribardine's  affairs.  She  knew 
the  wages  of  her  servants,  the  expenditure  of  the  house, 
the  phrasing  of  her  friends'  letters,  their  points  of 
views,  little  hatreds  and  little  loves,  their  want  or  pos- 
session of  good  English  and  powers  of  expressing  them- 
selves— she  fancied  she  could  almost  picture  the  faces, 
so  vivid  were  these  pen  portraits  of  the  writers  that  the 
notes  showed.  Lady  Garribardine  seldom  answered 
even  the  most  private  with  her  own  hand  and  Katherine 
had  grown  quite  accustomed  to  signing  "Sarah  Garri- 
bardine" as  "yours  afTectionatcly"  or  "yours  sincerely." 
She  even  derived  a  cynical  amusement  from  the  fictions 
she  was  instructed  to  invent  to  one  and  another. 

The  life  of  a  great  lady,  she  saw,  would  be  a  very 
complicated  affair  to  a  novice,  and  each  day  she  felt 

76 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

glad  she  was  having  the  opportunity  of  learning  its  in- 
tricacies. She  meant  to  make  no  mistakes  when  her  own 
turn  should  come. 

Lady  Garribardine  had  not  continued  to  exploit  her 
for  her  personal  diversion  as  she  had  done  on  the  occa- 
sion of  their  initial  meeting,  she  had  been  too  occupied, 
perhaps ;  on  the  contrary,  she  kept  strictly  to  her  role 
of  employer  and  hardly  spoke  except  on  business. 
Katherine  realised  that  she  looked  upon  her  much  as 
Lord  Algy  had  looked  upon  Hanson,  and  far  from  its 
arousing  the  rageful  resentment  which  it  would  have 
done  in  Matilda's  feminine  breast,  she  saw  the  justice  of 
it,  and  considered  it  a  proper  arrangement. 

"Some  people  have  the  luck  to  be  born  to  high  sta- 
tion," she  reasoned  to  herself,  "and  those  who  would  at- 
tain it  for  themselves  must  make  themselves  fitted  for 
it  first — besides  there  would  be  no  good  in  it  to  me,  if 
after  I  had  obtained  it  I  should  have  to  hobnob  with  my 
own  secretary.  It  is  the  distinctions  and  barriers  that 
make  the  thing  worth  having." 

As  yet  she  had  only  rarely  come  across  other  mem- 
bers of  the  world  beyond  her  employer  on  such  occa- 
sions as,  for  instance,  if  she  were  sent  for  suddenly  to 
the  drawing-room  to  take  down  some  instruction,  or 
bring  some  charity  list ;  but  whenever  she  had  the  chance 
;  she  observed  them  carefully.  Some  of  them  were  far 
from  what  had  been  her  ideal  of  what  high  birth  and 
breeding  would  certainly  show,  but  they  all  had  that 
ease  of  manner  which  polished  their  casualnesses,  and 
once  she  was  still  receiving  instructions  by  the  bedside 
when  Stirling,  the  maid,  came  to  know  if  Lady  Beatrice 
Strobridge  might  come  up. 

"Confound  the  woman!"  Her  Ladyship  exclaimed  in 
her  angelic  voice,  its  refinement  of  pronunciation  always 

77 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

a  joy  to  Katherine's  ear — whatever  the  bluntness  of 
the  words  might  be — "No,  certainly  not — my  face  is  not 
done — but  stay,  Stirhng,  it  may  be  something  to  do 
with  to-night — give  me  the  rouge  and  powder  and  a 
looking-glass.  Don't  go,  Miss  Bush — it  is  nothing  pri- 
vate and  she  won't  stay  for  more  than  a  minute." 

Katherine  discreetly  turned  her  eyes  from  the  bed 
to  the  window,  and  when  she  looked  round  again,  two 
blooming  rose-coloured  cheeks  balanced  the  girlish 
curls,  and  Lady  Garribardine  was  reposing  languidly 
upon  her  pillows. 

"Dearest  Aunt  Sarah,  I  had  to  come,"  cried  Ladj 
Beatrice  in  her  plaintive  discontented  voice,  "Gerard 
has  been  perfectly  impossible,  actually  has  refused  to 
let  me  go  to  the  Artist  Model's  ball  as  Ganymede,  and 
I  have  got  the  most  ducky  dress,  a  pendant  to  Hebe 
Vermont's  Iris." 

"A  few  rags  of  chiffon,  a  cup  and  bare  legs,  I  sup- 
pose," Lady  Garribardine  retorted  not  unkindl}',  as  her 
niece  sat  upon  the  bed. 

"You  may  describe  it  like  that  if  you  want  to,  Aunt 
Sarah !  I  assure  you,  though,  it  is  most  becoming,  and 
it  is  too  ridiculous  when  everyone  we  know  is  going,  and 
all  the  Thorv'ils  have  such  tiny  ankles,  too." 

"The  more  reason  for  you  not  to  expose  them  to  the 
common  herd.  Go  naked  if  you  so  desire  to  a  ball  in  a 
private  house  among  your  own  class — you'll  lay  your- 
self open  only  to  criticisms  of  your  charms  there — but 
to  lot  hoi  polloi  gaze  at  you  undressed  is  to  lower  your 
order ;  I  am  with  Gerard  about  that." 

Lady  Beatrice  pouted. 

"I  really  thought  you  were  so  up  to  date.  Aunt  Sera- 
phim, darhng,  that  you  would  be  sure  to  side  with  me — 
of  course  I  shall  go,  all  the  same ;  I  should  not  think  of 

78 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

paying  any  attention  to  Gerard — only  it  would  be  so 
much  nicer  if  you  had  consented  to  scold  him  for  me." 

"I  am  up  to  date,  I  hope,  in  so  far  as  I  try  to  move 
with  the  times" — ^Lady  Garribardine's  face  was  good- 
naturedly  contemptuous — "only,  I  consider  that  all  of 
jou  who  throw  your  bonnets  over  the  windmills  are  cut- 
ting your  own  throats —  You  are  destroying  values, 
cheapening  pleasures,  breaking  down  hedges,  and  let- 
ting in  the  swine  to  feed  upon  your  grapes — you  are 
often  very  vulgar,  you  modern  people." 

Lady  Beatrice  got  off  the  bed. 

"Then  there  is  no  use  talking.  Aunt  Sarah — I  dare 
say  we  are — but  what  matter  ?  I  wish  I  knew  what  does 
matter?  I  am  bored  all  the  time ;  I  get  some  momentary 
pleasure  out  of  my  poetry,  and  some  out  of  my  dear 
precious  friends — but  the  rest  of  the  day  is  one  long 
yawn.  You  ought  not  to  grudge  my  being  Ganymede; 
every  sort  of  quaint  creature  is  at  this  ball,  and  I  get 
quite  amused  each  year  when  I  go." 

"Why  don't  you  take  a  box,  then,  and  watch  them? 
I  could  quite  understand  that,  and  intend  to  do  so  my- 
self— Miss  Bush,  by  the  way,  did  you  write  to  say  I 
would  have  number  five?" 

Katherine  replied  in  the  affirmative  and  Lady  Bea- 
trice suddenly  became  aware  of  her  presence  as  she  re- 
sumed her  place  on  the  bed. 

"Oh,  this  is  3' our  new  secretary,  Aunt  Sarah!  I  am 
sure  you  have  a  frightfully  difficult  time — er — Miss 
Bush!"  And  she  laughed,  "Her  Ladyship  expects  per- 
fection." 

"Her  Ladyship  has  quite  a  right  to  as  good  as  can 
be  got — since  she  pa^'s  for  it." 

Katherine's  voice  was  deep  and  level,  and  contained 
no  impertinence,  only  a  grave  statement  of  fact. 

79 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

Lady  Garribardine  chuckled  among  her  pillows. 

"Miss  Bush  is  much  nearer  the  truth  of  things  than 
any  of  you  so-called  psychological  philosophers,  Bee — 
analysing  matters  with  little  dilettante  methods  all  day 
to  the  laughter  of  the  gods.  Miss  Bush  realises  her  ob- 
ligations as  a  secretary,  but  you  very  often  don't  per- 
ceive yours  as  a  duke's  daughter,  and  a  rising  Foreign 
Office  official's  wife." 

Lady  Beatrice  was  not  the  least  crushed.  She 
laughed  frankly. 

"Dear,  sweet  Aunty !  There  never  has  been  a  scan- 
del  about  me  in  my  life — I  am  a  model  of  circumspect- 
ness,  demureness  and  present-day  virtuous  wifeliness. 
Wh}'^,  I  never  interfere  with  Gerard — we  hardly  meet  in 
the  whole  week — and  I  merely  like  my  own  simple 
friends,  my  own  simple  clothes,  and  my  own  simple 
pleasures !" 

"Artless  creature !"  And  the  youthful  curls  shook. 
*'Well,  what  did  you  come  for,  in  so  many  words.'*  To 
try  to  get  me  to  influence  Gerard  not  to  play  for  once 
the  ineffectual  part  of  husband  in  authority,  and  so  let 
you  disgrace  the  name  of  Thorvil  and  Strobridge  in 
peace.'"' 

Lady  Beatrice  seized  and  stroked  the  fat  hand  lying 
upon  the  pink  silk  coverlet. 

"You  darling,  ducky  Aunt  Seraphim !  Just  that !  I 
want  to  wear  my  enchanting  boy's  dress — I  must  be 
Ganymede,  the  cupbearer !" 

"Well,  I'll  be  no  party  to  it — be  off  with  you.  I  have 
serious  affairs  to  settle  with  Miss  Bush  and  have  no 
further  time  to  waste." 

Lady  Beatrice  saluted  her  obediently  and  got  off  the 
bod  once  more ;  she  was  laughing  softly. 

"Gerard  is   coming  to   lunch,"   Lady  Garribardine 

80 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

called  to  her,  "and  Lao  Delemar,  and  they  are  going  to 
see  a  winter  exhibition  afterwards." 

"I  can't  stand  Lao,"  Lady  Beatrice  cooed  from  the 
doorway;  "she  pretends  to  be  so  full  of  sex  and  other 
dreadful  natural  things,  she  makes  my  innocent  aes- 
thetic flesh  creep — Gerard  always  had  fruity  tastes — 
Bye-bye,  dear  Aunt  Sarah!"  And  kissing  her  finger- 
tips she  was  at  last  gone,  leaving  Katherine  wonder- 
ing. 

They  had  said  very  severe  things  to  each  other  and 
neither  was  the  least  angry  really — Gladys  and  Fred 
were  not  wont  to  bicker  so. 

"Call  up  Mr.  Strobridge,  Miss  Bush — he  will  not  have 
left  home  yet — you  know  his  number — ask  him  to  speak 
to  me  at  once." 

Katherine  obeyed — she  was  an  expert  with  the  tele- 
phone and  never  raised  her  voice.  Mr.  Strobridge  was 
soon  at  the  other  end  of  it,  and  she  was  about  to  hand 
the  receiver  to  her  employer  when  that  lady  frowned 
and  told  her  to  give  the  message  herself. 

"My  right  ear  is  troublesome  to-day,"  she  said,  "you 
must  do  the  business  for  me,  Miss  Bush." 

"Hello !  Her  Ladyship  wishes  me  to  give  you  a  mes- 
sage— will  you  wait  a  moment  until  I  take  it.^^" 

"Hello!    Yes." 

"Say  he  is  to  come  half  an  hour  earlier  to  lunch  to- 
day. I  have  things  to  talk  over  with  him  about  to- 
night—  He  is  to  go  to  this  ridiculous  ball  in  my  box 
— tell  him  so." 

Katherine  repeated  the  exact  message. 

"Tell  her  I  am  very  much  annoyed  about  the  whole 
thing,"  Mr.  Strobridge  returned,  "and  have  decided  not 
to  be  present  myself." 

"Stuff  and  nonsense !"  cried  Lady  Garribardine,  when 

81 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

she  was  told,  and,  seizing  the  receiver  from  Katherine's 
hand,  she  roared: 

"Don't  be  a  fool,  G. — it  is  too  late  in  the  day  to  stand 
upon  your  dignity — I'll  tell  you  the  rest  when  you  come 
to  lunch." — Upon  which  she  closed  the  communication 
and  called  for  Stirling. 

"Take  all  this  rubbish  of  letters  away,  Miss  Bush — 
I  must  get  up  and  cope  with  the  humiliating  defects  of 
old  age — you  may  go." 

Katherine  had  a  very  busy  morning  in  front  of  her. 
She  sat  steadily  typing  and  writing  in  the  secretary's 
room,  until  her  lunch  was  brought  and  even  then  she 
hardly  stopped  to  eat  it,  but  on  her  own  way  to  the 
dining-room  Lady  Garribardine  came  in.  She  looked 
at  the  hardly  tasted  food  and  blinked  her  black  eyes : 

"Tut,  tut !  You  must  eat,  child — pas  trop  de  zele — 
Finish  your  pudding — and  then  bring  me  those  two  let- 
ters upon  the  report  of  the  Wineberger  charity — into 
the  dining-room —  You  can  have  your  coffee  with  us — 
Mr.  Strobridge  and  I  are  alone,  Mrs.  Delemar  is  not 
coming,  after  all —  By  the  way,  do  you  have  every- 
thing you  want.''  The  coffee  they  give  you  is  good,  eh.'* 
Servants  always  skimp  the  beans  when  left  to  them- 
selves." 

"I  have  everything  I  want,  thank  j'ou — but  I  have 
not  been  offered  coffee,"  Katherine  replied. 

Lady  Garribardine's  face  assumed  an  indignant  ex- 
pression, and  she  sharply  rang  the  bell. 

"These  are  the  things  that  happen  when  one  does  not 
know  of  them — you  ought  to  have  complained  to  me  be- 
fore. Miss  Bush !" 

Thomas  answered  the  bell  and  whitened  perceptibly 
when  he  saw  his  mistress's  face.  He  was  asked  why  Miss 
Bush  had  not  been  served  with  coffee,  in  a  voice  which 

82 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

froze  his  tonjiTuc,  and  the  only  excuse  he  could  give  was 
a  stammering  statement  that  Miss  Arnott  had  not  taken 
any,  which  aroused  further  wrath. 

"Pampered  wretches !"  Lady  Garribardine  exclaimed. 
"Anything  to  save  themselves  trouble !  I  will  speak  to 
Bronson  about  this — but  see  that  it  never  happens 
again,  Thomas !"  And  the  trembling  footman  was  al- 
lowed to  leave  the  room. 

"I  am  glad  you  did  not  try  to  defend  them,  as  the 
foolish  Arnott  would  have  done,"  Her  Ladyship  flashed. 
"She  was  always  standing  between  my  just  wrath  and 
the  servant's  delinquencies,  always  shielding  them — one 
would  have  thought  she  was  of  their  class.  The  result 
was  no  one  in  the  house  respected  her — good  creature 
though  she  was.  See  that  you  are  respected,  young 
woman,  and  obeyed  when  obedience  is  your  due." 

"I  will  try  to  be" — and  an  inscrutable  expression 
played  round  Katherine's  full  red  mouth.  "I  would 
never  shield  anyone  from  what  he  deserved." 

"It  seems  to  me  you  understand  a  good  deal,  girl! — 
Well,  come  into  the  dining-room  in  half  an  hour,"  and, 
smiling  her  comprehending  smile,  Lady  Garribardine 
left  the  room. 

"G.,  that  is  a  wonderful  creature,  that  new  secretary 
of  mine — have  you  noticed  her  yet?"  she  said  later  on  to 
her  nephew  when  they  had  finished  the  serious  part  of 
their  luncheon,  and  she  had  rung  her  enamelled  bell  for 
the  automatic  entrance  of  the  servants  from  behind  the 
screen — they  were  only  allowed  in  the  room  to  change 
the  courses  at  this  meal.  Numbers  of  politicians  and 
diplomats  frequently  dropped  in  and  preferred  to  dis- 
cuss affairs  with  their  hostess  alone. 

"No — not  much,"  Mr.  Strobridge  admitted  when 
they  were  again  by  themselves  and  coffee  had  come.    "I 

83 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

thought  she  did  my  letter  to  the  Times  remarkably  well, 
though." 

"She  has  not  done  anything  badly  yet — when  she 
makes  a  mistake  in  social  trifles  she  always  realises  it, 
and  corrects  herself.  Her  reading  aloud  was  grotesque 
at  first,  but  I  have  never  had  to  tell  her  how  to  pro- 
nounce a  word  twice.  I  lay  traps  for  her;  she  is  as 
smart  as  paint  and  as  deep  as  a  well." 

"A  treasure  indeed — "  but  Mr.  Strobridge's  voice 
was  absent,  he  was  uninterested  and  was  still  smarting 
under  the  annoyance  of  the  situation  created  by  his 
wife. 

Of  course  he  could  not  make  her  stay  at  home  by 
force — and  he  hated  the  idea  of  Ganymede  and  the  bare 
legs.     He  reverted  to  the  topic  once  more. 

"I  would  really  rather  not  go  to  see  the  freakish  crew 
to-night,"  he  said.  "Beatrice  is  doing  it  merely  from 
obstinacy;  she  is  not  like  Hebe  Vermont,  a  ridiculous 
poseuse,  crazy  for  notoriety;  she  is  a  refined  creature 
generally,  though  wearying.     This  is  just  to  defy  me." 

"As  I  have  always  told  you,  G.,  you  should  never 
have  married,  you  are  made  for  an  ardent  and  devoted 
lover,  with  a  suitable  change  of  inamorata  every  six 
months.  In  the  role  of  husband  you  are — frankly — 
a  little  ridiculous !  You  have  no  authority.  As  Miss 
Bush  put  it  just  now  about  something  else,  you  usually 
act  from  good  nature,  not  from  a  sense  of  justice;  and 
Beatrice  snaps  her  fingers  at  you  and  goes  her  own 
way." 

"I  don't  mind  as  a  rule — indeed,  I  am  grateful  to  her 
for  doing  so.  Can  there  be  anything  more  tedious  and 
bourgeois  than  the  recognised  relation  of  husband  and 
wife.''  The  only  things  which  make  intimacy  with  a 
woman  agreeable  are  difficulty  and  intermittency.     Bee 

84 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

fortunately  expects  nothing  from  me,  and  I  expect 
nothing  from  her,  beyond  acting  in  a  manner  suitable 
to  her  race  and  station,  and  I  don't  think  Ganymede 
in  his  original  costume  at  an  Artist  Models'  ball  a  har- 
monious part  for  my  wife  or  a  Thorvil  to  adopt." 

"You  don't  know  how  to  manage  her,  and  you  are  too 
indifferent  to  try — so  you  had  better  swallow  your  out- 
raged dignity  and  come  with  me  in  my  box  after  all. 
Lao  will  be  there  and  you  can  sit  and  whisper  in  the 
back  of  it."  And  Lady  Garribardine  lit  her  cigarette, 
but  Mr.  Strobridge  protested  in  whimsical  distress : 

"Heaven  forbid!  Would  you  kill  this  dawning  ro- 
mance, Seraphim?  If  Lao  and  I  are  to  be  drafted  off 
like  a  pair  of  fiances,  the  whole  charm  is  gone.  I  wish 
to  Tnenager  my  emotions  so  that  they  may  last  over  the 
Easter  recess ;  after  that  I  shall  be  too  busy  for  them 
to  matter.    Don't  be  ruthless,  sweet  Aunt !" 

Lady  Garribardine  laughed  and  at  that  moment 
Katherine  Bush  came  in,  the  finished  letters  in  her  hand. 

"Give  Miss  Bush  some  coffee,  G.,  while  I  look  over* 
them,"  and  Her  Ladyship  indicated  the  tray  which  had 
been  placed  by  an  attentive  Bronson  close  to  her  hand. 

Mr.  Strobridge  did  as  he  was  asked.  His  thoughts 
were  far  away,  and  beyond  displaying  the  courtesy  he 
used  to  all  women,  he  never  noticed  Katherine  at  all. 
She  was  quite  ordinary  looking  still — with  the  screwed 
up  mop  of  ashen-hued  hair,  and  her  plain  dark  blouse, 
unless  you  chanced  to  meet  her  strange  and  beautiful 
eyes. 

For  some  reason  she  felt  a  little  piqued,  the  man's 
manner  and  phrasing  attracted  her,  his  voice  was 
superlatively  cultivated,  and  his  words  chosen  with  pol- 
ished grace.  Here  was  a  person  from  whom  something 
could  be  learned.    She  would  have  wished  to  have  talked 

85 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

with  him  unrestrainedly  and  alone.  She  remained  silent 
and  listened  when  aunt  and  nephew  again  took  up  the 
ball  of  conversation  together.  How  she  would  love  to 
bo  able  to  converse  like  that!  They  were  so  spark- 
ling— never  in  earnest  seemingly,  all  was  light  as  air, 
while  Mr.  Strobridge  made  allusions  and  quotations 
which  showed  his  brilliant  erudition,  and  Katherine 
hearkened  with  all  her  ears.  Some  of  them  she  recog- 
nized and  others  she  determined  to  look  up,  but  his 
whole  pronunciation  of  the  sentences  sounded  different 
from  what  she  had  imagined  they  would  be  when  she 
had  read  them  to  herself. 

This  was  the  first  time  she  had  heard  a  continued 
conversation  between  two  people  who  she  had  already 
decided  were  worthy  of  note,  and  this  half-hour  stood 
out  as  the  first  milestone  in  her  progress. 

Presently  they  all  rose — and  she  went  back  to  her 
work  with  the  sense  of  the  magnitude  of  her  task  in 
climbing  to  the  pinnacle  of  a  great  lady  and  cultivated 
woman  of  the  world. 

For  a  few  moments  she  felt  a  little  depressed — then 
a  thought  came  to  her. 

"He  could  help  me  to  knowledge  of  literature  and 
art — he  could  teach  me  true  culture — and  since  he  is 
married  there  can  be  no  stupid  love-making.  But  for 
this  he  must  first  realise  that  I  exist  and  for  that  when 
my  chance  comes  I  must  arrest  his  attention  through 
the  ears  and  the  eyes.  He  must  for  once  look  at  me 
and  see  not  only  his  aunt's  secretary — and  then  I  can 
learn  from  him  all  that  I  desire  to  know." 

That  this  course  of  action  could  possibly  cause  the 
proposed  teacher  pain  in  the  future  never  entered  her 
head. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

MATILDA  had  been  told  to  meet  her  sister,  if  it 
should  be  fine  on  this  Sunday,  in  the  Park  by 
the   Serpentine;   they  would  walk   about   and 
then  go  and  have  an  early   tea   at  Victoria   Station, 
whence  Matilda  could  take  a  train  back  to  Bindon's 
Green. 

They  met  punctually  at  the  time  appointed  on  the 
bridge,  and  the  elder  Miss  Bush  was  filled  with  joy. 
She  had  missed  Katherine  dreadfully,  as  browbeating 
husbands  are  often  missed  by  meek  wives,  and  she  was 
full  of  curiosity  to  hear  her  news. 

"You  look  changed  somehow.  Kitten !"  she  exclaimed, 
when  they  had  greeted  each  other.  "It  isn't  because 
you'd  done  your  hair  differently ;  you  had  it  that  way 
on  the  last  day — it  isn't  a  bit  'the  look',  but  it  suits 
you.  No,  it's  not  that — but  you  are  changed  some- 
how. Now  tell  me  everything,  dearie — I  am  dying  to 
hear." 

"I  like  it,"  began  Katherine,  "and  I  am  learning  lots 
iof  things." 

This  information  did  not  thrill  Matilda.  Kathcrine's 
desire  to  be  always  learning  was  very  fatiguing,  she 
thought,  and  quite  unnecessary.  She  wanted  to  hear 
facts  of  food  and  lodging  and  people  and  treatment, 
not  unimportant  moral  developments. 

"Oh — well,"  she  said.    "Are  they  kind  to  you.?" 

"Yes — I  am  waited  on  like  a  lady — and  generally 
the  work  isn't  half  so  heavy  as  at  Liv  and  Dev's." 

87 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

"Tell  mc  right  from  the  beginning.  What  you 
do  when  you  get  up  in  the  morning  until  you  go  to 
bed." 

Katherine  complied. 

"I  am  waked  at  half-past  seven  and  given  a  cup  of 
tea — real  tea,  Tild,  not  the  stuff  we  called  tea  at  home." 
(A  slight  toss  of  the  head  from  Matilda.)  "The  sec- 
ond housemaid  waits  on  me,  and  pulls  up  my  blind,  and 
then  I  have  my  bath  in  the  bathroom  across  the  pas- 
sage— a  nice,  deep  hot  bath." 

"Whatever  for — every  day.^*"  interrupted  Matilda. 
"What  waste  of  soap  and  towels  and  things — do  you 
like  it,  Kitten?" 

"Of  course,  I  do — we  all  seem  to  be  very  dirty  people 
to  me  now,  Tild — with  our  one  tub  a  week ;  you  soon 
grow  to  find  things  a  necessity.  I  could  not  bear  not 
to  have  a  bath  every  day  now." 

Matilda  snorted. 

"WeU— and  then—.?" 

"Then  I  go  down  and  have  my  breakfast  in  the  secre- 
tary's room — my  sitting-room,  in  fact.  It  is  a  lovely 
breakfast,  with  beautiful  china  and  silver  and  table- 
linen,  and  when  I  have  finished  that  I  take  my  block 
and  pencil  and  go  up  to  Lady  Garribardine's  bedroom 
to  take  down  my  instructions  for  the  day  in  short- 
hand." 

"Oh,  Kitten,  do  tell  me,  what's  her  room  like.'"'  At 
last  something  interesting  might  be  coming! 

"It  is  all  pink  silk  and  lace  and  a  gilt  bed,  and  num- 
bers of  photographs,  and  a  big  sofa  and  comfortable 
chairs — and  when  she  has  rheumatism  she  stays  there 
and  has  people  up  to  tea." 

"What!  Folks  to  tea  in  her  bedroom.'*  Ladies,  of 
course.'"* 

88 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

"Oh !  dear  no !  Men,  too !  She  has  heaps  of  men 
friends ;  they  are  devoted  to  her." 

"Gentlemen  in  her  bedroom!  I  do  call  that  fast!" 
Matilda  was  frankly  shocked. 

"Why.?"  asked  Katherine. 

"Why-f*  My  dear!  Just  fancy — gentlemen  where 
you  sleep  and  dress!  Mabel  would  not  dream  of  doing 
such  a  thing — and  I  do  hope  she'll  never  hear  you  are 
in  that  kind  of  a  house.  She'd  be  sure  to  pass  re- 
marks." 

"Lady  Garribardine  is  over  sixty  years  old,  Tild ! 
Don't  you  think  you  are  being  rather  funny?"  and 
Katherine  wondered  why  she  had  never  noticed  before 
that  Matilda  was  totally  devoid  of  all  sense  of  hu- 
mour. And  then  she  realised  that  the  conception  was 
new  even  to  herself,  and  must  have  come  from  her  book 
reading,  though  she  was  conscious  that  it  was  a  gift 
that  she  had  always  enjoyed.  No  one  had  spoken  of 
the  "senses  of  humour"  in  their  home  circle,  and  Ma- 
tilda would  not  have  understood  what  it  meant  or 
whether  she  did  or  did  not  possess  it ! 

Things  were  things  to  Matilda,  and  had  not  different 
aspects,  and  for  a  lady  to  receive  gentlemen  in  her  bed- 
room if  she  were  even  over  sixty  years  old  and  suffer- 
ing from  rheumatism  was  not  proper  conduct,  and 
would  earn  the  disapproval  of  Mabel  Cawber  and,  in- 
deed, of  refined  and  select  Bindon's  Green  in  general. 

"I  don't  see  that  age  makes  a  difference ;  it's  the  idea 
of  tea  in  a  bedroom,  dearie — with  gentlemen !" 

"But  what  do  you  think  they  would  do  to  her,  Tild.'*" 
Katherine  with  difficulty  hid  her  smile. 

"Oh !  my !  what  dreadful  things  you  do  say,  Kath- 
erine!" Matilda  blushed.  "Why,  it's  the  awkwardness 
of  it  for  them — I'm  wondering  whatever  Fred  and  Bert 

89 


THE  CABEER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

and  Charlie  Prodgers  would  feci  if  Mabel  had  them  up 
to  hers  of  a  Sunday,  supposing  she  had  a  cold — and 
what  would  anyone  say !" 

"Yes,  I  am  sure  Bindon's  Green  would  talk  its  head 
off,  and  Fred  and  Bert  and  Charlie  Prodgers  would  be 
awfully  uncomfortable  and  get  every  sort  of  extraor- 
dinary idea  into  their  heads,  and  if  a  person  like  Mabel 
did  do  such  a  thing,  as  to  have  them  up  there,  she 
would  be  fidgety  herself — or  she  would  be  really  fast 
and  intend  them  to  go  ahead.  But  Lady  Garribardine 
is  always  quite  sure  of  herself,  and  her  friends  are,  too, 
and  they  don't  have  to  consider  convention — they  are 
really  gentlemen,  you  see,  and  not  worried  at  all  as  to 
what  others  think  or  say,  and  it  seems  quite  natural 
to  them  to  come  up  and  see  an  old  rheumatic  lady  any- 
where they  want  to  see  her.  That  is  just  the  difference 
in  the  class,  Tild — the  upper  are  perfectly  real,  and 
don't  pretend  anything,  and  aren't  uncomfortable  in 
doing  natural  things." 

Matilda  was  still  disapproving,  and  at  once  became 
antagonistic  when  her  sister  made  reflections  upon 
class. 

"I  call  it  very  queer,  anyway,"  she  sniffed.  "And 
wherever  do  they  find  room  to  sit — in  a  bedroom, 
dearie.'"' 

Katherinc  laughed — she  wondered  if  she  had  never 
had  a  glimpse  of  life  and  space  and  comfort  with  Lord 
Algy,  should  she,  too,  have  been  as  ignorant  and  sur- 
prised at  everything  in  her  new  sphere  as  Matilda  was 
at  the  description  of  it.  She  supposed  she  would  have 
been  equally  surprised,  but  would  certainly  have  viewed 
it  with  an  open  mind.  After  ten  days  of  peeps  at  a 
world  where  everything  new  and  old  was  looked  at  and 
discussed  with   the  broadest  toleration,   the  incredible 

90 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATIIERINE  BUSH 

narrowness  of  the  Bindon's  Green  outlook  appalled  her 
— the  forces  of  ignorance  and  prejudice  and  ridiculous 
hypocrisy  which  ruled  such  hundreds  of  worthy  people's 
lives ! 

She  came  back  from  these  speculations  to  the  reality 
of  her  sister's  voice,  reiterating  her  question  as  to 
where  the  visitors  found  place,  and  she  answered,  still 
smiling : 

"It  is  a  great  big  room,  Tild,  twice  as  big  as  the 
drawing-room  at  home — no — bigger  still,  and  twenty 
people  could  sit  in  it  without  crowding." 

"Goodness  gracious!"  ejaculated  Matilda;  "it  must 
be  grand." 

"You  see,  you  are  such  an  old  goose,  Matilda.  You 
think  the  whole  world  must  be  like  Bindon's  Green, 
although  I  have  told  you  over  and  over  again  that 
other  places,  and  other  grades  of  life,  are  different, 
but  you  and  Mabel  and  Fred  and  Bert,  and  the  whole 
crew  of  you,  measure  everything  with  your  own  tiny 
measure.  You  make  me  gasp  at  your  outlook  some- 
times." 

Matilda  bridled — and  Katherine  went  on. 

"Lady  Garribardine's  house  does  not  seem  to  be  a 
bit  grand  to  her,  nor  to  any  of  the  people  who  come 
there.  They  are  not  conscious  of  it;  it  is  just  every- 
day to  them,  although  some  of  them  live  in  quite  small 
houses  themselves  and  aren't  at  all  rich.  She  has  two 
cousins — elderly  ladies,  who  live  in  a  tiny  flat — but  oh ! 
the  difference  in  it  to  Mabel's  villa !  I  had  to  take  them 
a  message  last  week  and  waited  in  their  mite  of  a  draw- 
ing-room— it  was  exquisitely  clean  and  simple,  and  they 
are  probably  poorer  than  we  are." 

Matilda  felt  too  ruffled  to  continue  this  conversation; 
she  always  hated  the  way  Katherine  argued  with  her; 

91 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

she  wanted  to  get  back  to  the  far  more  interesting  sub- 
ject of  carpets  and  curtains  and  arrangements  in  the 
rooms  of  Lady  Garribardine's  house.  Numbers  of  the 
people  in  her  serials,  of  course,  were  supposed  to  own 
such  places,  and  she  had  often  seen  bits  of  them  on  the 
stage,  but  until  she  found  Katherine  really  lived  now 
in  one,  somehow  she  had  never  believed  in  them  as  liv- 
ing actualities,  or  rather  their  reality  had  not  been 
brought  home  to  her.  So  she  questioned  Katherine, 
and  soon  had  an  accurate  description  of  her  ladyship's 
bedroom,  and  the  rest  of  the  house,  then  she  got  back 
to  the  happenings  of  her  sister's  day. 

"Well,  when  you  have  got  up  there,  you  take  down 
orders,  and  then?" 

"I  sort  everything  that  has  come  by  the  post  and 
mark  on  the  envelopes  how  I  am  to  answer  them,  and  I 
sometimes  read  her  the  papers  aloud  if  her  eyes  are 
tired." 
"Yes.?" 

"And  then  I  go  down  and  write  the  letters ;  she 
hardly  ever  answers  any  herself,  and  I  have  to  write 
them  as  if  I  were  she.  Her  friends  must  wonder  how 
her  hand  and  style  have  changed  since  Miss  Arnott 
left!" 

Here  was  something  thrilling  again  for  Matilda. 
"Oh,  my !     What  a  lot  you  must  get  to  know  about 
the  smart  set.  Kitten;  isn't  it  interesting!" 
"Yes,  as  I  told  you,  I  am  learning  lessons." 
"Oh,  bother  that!     Well,  what  do  they  write  about, 
do  tell  me—.?" 

"All  sorts  of  things;  their  movements,  their  chari- 
ties— invitations,  little  witticisms  about  each  other — 
politics,  the  last  good  story — and,  some  of  them, 
books." 

9S 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

"And  you  have  to  answer  as  if  you  were  her?  How- 
ever do  you  do  it,  Kitten?" 

"She  gives  me  the  general  idea — she  showed  me  the 
first  time  for  the  private  letters,  and  now  I  know,  but 
sometimes  perhaps  I  write  as  if  it  were  me !" 

"And  don't  they  know  it  is  not  her  hand?" 

"Of  course,  but  they  don't  care.  She  is  a  great  lady 
and  a  character,  and  she  is  very  powerful  in  their  circle 
of  society,  and  it  is  worth  everyone's  while  to  be  civil  to 
her." 

"It  is  all  funny.     Well,  what  else  do  you  do?" 

"Sometimes  I  have  to  do  errands — shopping  and  so 
on — and  then  my  luncheon  comes — the  food  is  lovely, 
and  I  am  waited  on  by  a  footman  called  Thomas ;  he  is 
the  third ;  and  on  Wednesday  Lady  Garribardine  took 
his  and  the  butler's  heads  off  because  I  had  not  been 
given  coffee.  She  means  me  to  be  perfectly  treated,  I 
can  tell  you !" 

"Coffee  after  your  lunch,  how  genteel !  And  my ! 
what  a  lot  of  servants.    Whatever  do  they  all  do?" 

"Their  work,  I  suppose.  You  forget  it  is  a  big 
house  and  everything  is  splendidly  done  and  beautifully 
clean,  and  regular  and  orderly." 

Here  Matilda  insisted  upon  a  full  list  of  all  the  re- 
tainers, and  an  account  of  their  separate  duties ;  her 
domestic  soul  revelled  in  these  details,  and  at  the  end 
of  the  recital  her  awe  knew  no  bounds.  Katherine  was 
able  to  give  her  a  very  circumstantial  set  of  state- 
ments, as  all  accounts  passed  through  her  hands. 

"Well,  your  old  lady  must  spend  pints  of  money," 
Matilda  said,  with  a  sigh,  "but  we've  not  got  to  your 
afternoons  yet,  dearie.    Do  you  work  all  them,  too.''" 

"When  I  am  very  busy — it  depends  how  much  I  have 
to  do;  if  I  am  not  very  occupied  and  I  have  not  been 

93 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

out  in  the  morning,  I  go  for  a  walk  before  tea.  I  have 
to  take  her  ladyship's  two  fox-terriers,  Jack  and  Joe ; 
they  are  jolly  little  fellows,  and  I  love  them.  We 
scamper  in  the  square,  or  go  as  far  as  the  Park." 

"And  your  tea?  They  bring  you  up  a  cup,  I  sup- 
pose, every  da}' — regular?" 

"Not  a  cup — a  whole  tray  to  myself,  and  lovely  muf- 
fins and  cream,  Tild.  Lady  Garribardine  has  a  Jersey 
herd  of  cows  at  her  place  in  Blankshire,  and  the  cream 
comes  up  each  day  from  there." 

"My !  how  nice !"  Matilda  sighed  again.  Her  imag- 
ination could  hardly  take  in  such  luxury.  It  seemed 
to  her  that  Katherine  must  be  living  in  almost  gilded 
vice! 

"Then  after  tea,  if  I  am  not  sent  for  to  do  any  spe- 
cial thing,  I  read  to  myself.  I  look  up  anything  that 
I  dont  know  about  that  I  have  chanced  to  hear  spoken 
of  by  the  people  who  come — I  am  allowed  to  take  books 
from  the  library." 

"Then  you  do  see  people  sometimes?"  Matilda's  in- 
terest revived  again.     "What  are  they  like,  Kitten?" 

"Sometimes  I  do,  but  not  often — only  when  I  chance 
to  be  sent  for,  but  next  week  Her  Ladyship  has  got  a 
big  charity  tableaux  entertainment  on  hand,  that  she 
is  arranger  and  patroness  of,  and  I  shall  come  across 
lots  of  people  of  society,  some  of  the  ones  you  know 
the  names  of  so  well  in  the  Flare." 

"The  Duchess  of  Dashington  and  the  Countess  of 
Blanktown — really.   Kitten  !" 

This  was  fashion,  indeed ! 

"Probably — but  I  don't  know  about  the  Duchess  of 
Dashington.  I  don't  think  Lady  Garribardine  ap- 
proves of  her." 

"Not  approve  of  the  Duchess  of  Dashington !"    Ma- 

94 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

tilda  exclaimed,  indignantly.  "Her  that  has  gentle- 
men to  tea  in  her  bedroom  to  give  herself  airs  like  that ! 
Well,  I  never !" 

This  particular  Duchess'  photographs  were  the  joy 
of  the  halfpenny  illustrated  papers,  and  Matilda  was 
accustomed  to  see  her  in  skating  costume  waltzing  with 
her  instructor,  and  in  golf  costume  and  in  private  the- 
atrical costumes,  almost  every  other  week. 

"No — slie  speaks  of  her  very  cheaply — but  I  will  tell 
you  all  about  it  on  Sunday  fortnight.  I'll  have  heard 
everything  by  then,  because  the  tableaux  will  be 
over." 

Matilda  returned  to  her  muttons. 

"Then  you  have  supper,  I  suppose.'^" 

"No —  I  go  up  and  dress  myself  and  put  on  my  best 
blouse  and  have  my  dinner  at  eight  o'clock;  after  that 
I  generally  read  the  paper  or  French  books — and  at 
ten  I  go  to  bed." 

"Gracious !  what's  the  good  of  dressing  if  you  don't 
see  anyone?     How  you'll  use  up  your  blouse!" 

Matilda  was  aghast  at  such  folly ! 

*'I  am  supposed  to  be  a  lady,  Tild,  and  a  lady  is  ex- 
pected to  dress  in  the  evening  if  she  is  alone  on  a  desert 
island." 

"What  stuff!     Whatever  for.?" 

"Self-respect." 

"Fiddlesticks." 

Presently  Katherine  grew  reflective,  her  catechism 
over.  "I  wish  j^ou  could  see  it  all,  Tild ;  it  would  en- 
large your  brain — it  is  all  so  different  from  Bindon's 
Green.  If  you  could  only  hear  their  point  of  view,  I 
assure  you,  dear,  it  might  be  two  different  nations — 
those  barefoot  urchins  climbing  on  the  rails  are  much 
nearer  their  level  than  we  are." 

95 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

But  Matilda  could  not  stand  this ;  her  wrath  rose. 

"Those  dirty  boys  nearer  your  new  people  than  a 
real  lady  like  Mabel  Cawber,  and  your  own  brothers 
and  sisters!  Katherine,  how  dare  you!  Horrid  little 
guttersnipes  with  no  pride  of  themselves ;  why,  they 
aren't  even  ashamed  to  be  here  of  a  Sunday  among  de- 
cent people — they'd  do  anything!" 

"That  is  just  it,  Tild — so  would  the  aristocrats  if 
they  wanted  to,  and  wouldn't  be  a  bit  ashamed  or  even 
think  of  it,  and  they  have  'no  pride  of  themselves,' 
either — but  you'll  never  understand,  Tild,  not  if  you 
live  to  be  a  hundred  years  old." 

"And  I  don't  want  to,  there!" 

"Then  it  is  perfectly  useless  my  talking,  I  see  that. 
We  had  better  go  and  have  some  tea." 

And  so  they  turned  out  of  Albert  Gate  and  walked 
to  Victoria. 

Matilda,  when  she  had  smoothed  her  ruffled  feelings, 
began  now  to  relate  the  home  news.  Gladys  and  her 
fiance  were  not  happy  together;  they  had  not  been  so 
since  that  visit  which  Katherine  would  remember  they 
had  taken  to  Brighton  to  stay  with  his  aunt — it  was 
nearly  six  weeks  ago  now  and  both  grew  more  and  more 
gloomy. 

"And  so  uppy  as  Glad  is  with  Fred,  too,  and  never 
a  bit  back  on  Bob  Hartley !" 

Matilda  felt  things  would  be  better  for  her  sister  if 
a  little  more  spirit  were  shown.  Mabel  and  her  be- 
trothed had  been  up  for  church  parade  as  usual  in  the 
Park  that  morning,  and  this  lady  had  also  supped  with 
them  at  Laburnum  Villa  the  night  before,  and  they  had 
had  oysters  and  a  jolly  time. 

Katherine  felt  a  strange  emotion  when  she  heard  of 
this.     She  seemed  to  see  a  picture  of  Lord  Algj  enjoy- 

96 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

ing  oysters,  and  all  the  reflections  this  action  had  called 
up — oh !  how  long  ago  it  all  appeared ! 

"And  have  you  met  that  gentlemen  you  spoke  of?" 
Matilda  asked,  before  they  parted  at  the  station. 

"Mr.  Strobridge,  you  mean — Lady  Garribardine's 
nephew.  Yes — he  is  husband  of  the  lady  Glad  dresses, 
/the  one  who  had  the  model  she  wanted  me  to  have.  He 
is  a  clever  man — we  have  not  really  spoken  yet,  but  I 
mean  to  know  him  very  well  some  day." 

"Oh !  Kitten,  do  be  careful !  And  him  a  married  man, 
too!" 

"For  what  I  want  of  him,  it  does  not  matter  whether 
he  is  married  or  single,"  Katherine  reassured  her,  and 
soon  the  train  moved  off'. 

How  good  Matilda  was !  Katherine  thought,  as  she 
walked  briskly  back  to  Berkeley  Square — an  unselfish, 
worthy,  honest,  hopelessly  stupid  creature,  whom  some- 
how she  was  fond  of.  But  what  could  it  be  that  made 
her  herself  so  utterly  diff'erent  from  them  all.'*  Nothing 
could  be  chance — everything  had  its  reason,  only  we 
were  generally  too  blind  to  perceive  it.  So  was  there 
some  truth  in  that  vague  story  of  the  great-grand- 
mother having  been  someone  of  high  family  fallen  low 
in  the  world  and  married  to  the  auctioneer  great-grand- 
father, whom  her  own  father  remembered  very  well.'* 
Could  it  be  that  some  drop  of  gentle  blood  flowed  in  her 
veins,  transmitted  from  this  source  and  concentrated  in 
her,  having  escaped  the  others — or  was  it  simply  from 
the  years  of  her  reading  that  her  mind  had  developed.'* 
But  it  could  not  be  altogether  that,  because  she  re- 
membered instincts  and  tastes  in  uneducated  early 
childhood  completely  aloof  from  the  family's. 

"Father  gave  me  this  business  capacity,"  she  mused, 
"but  something  beyond  must  have  given  me  this  will  to 

97 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

achieve — and  I  sliall  achieve — all  I  desire — in  time! 
Only  I  must  be  ruthless  and  have  no  emotions.  I  must 
follow  what  Bacon  asserts  about  great  spirits,"  and  she 
quoted  softly :  "  'There  is  not  one  that  hath  been  trans- 
ported to  the  mad  degree  of  love,  which  shows  that 
great  spirits  and  great  business  do  keep  out  tliis  weak 
passion.'  " 

Yes,  she  would  keep  out  this  weak  passion !  She  had 
tasted  its  joys,  and  that  memory  must  last  her  a  life- 
time. 

On  the  doorstep  she  encountered  Gerard  Strobridge 
just  coming  out — he  raised  his  hat  and  said  politely 
that  it  was  an  abominably  cold  day — then  he  passed 
on  down  the  steps  and  so  towards  Hill  Street. 

And  Katherine  Bush  went  up  to  her  room. 


CHAPTER  IX 

THE  week  of  the  tableaux  had  come  and  gone,  and 
had  opened  yet  another  window  for  Katherine 
Bush  to  peep  at  the  world  from.  She  already 
knew  many  of  the  people  who  came  to  the  luncheons 
and  rehearsals,  from  their  letters,  and  now  she  judged 
of  them  face  to  face.  She  had  been  in  great  request 
to  take  down  innumerable  orders,  and  arrange  business 
details,  and  had  listened  and  inwardly  digested  what  she 
heard. 

Her  contempt  for  some  of  the  company  was  as  great 
as  for  Miss  INIabel  Cawber — she  discovered  a  few  with 
titles  and  positions  who  were  what  she  disdainfully 
dubbed,  "Middle  class  underneath!" 

"Only  that  they  have  been  more  used  to  things,  they 
are  as  paltry  as  Mabel,"  she  said  to  herself,  and  set 
about,  as  was  her  custom,  to  find  out  why — and  from 
what  families  they  had  sprung — and  obtained  some  sat- 
isfaction in  the  confirmation  of  her  theory  of  heredity, 
in  discovering  that  most  of  these  could  lay  small  claim 
to  blueness  of  blood.  The  insolence  of  others  she  ap- 
proved of. 

Many  of  the  American  peeresses  who  were  posing  as 
queens,  and  nuns,  and  Greek  goddesses,  she  truly  ad- 
mired— they  must  have  been  at  one  time  like  herself — 
out  to  learn — and  now  were  conscious  that  they  had 
made  good. 

"But  I  mean  to  have  more  repose  of  manner  when  I 
am  there,"  she  told  herself. 

99 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

Of  Sarah  Lady  Garribardine's  sayings  and  views, 
she  kept  a  great  store  in  her  mind.  This  was  a  real 
aristocrat  she  felt.  A  human,  faulty,  strong  woman, 
incapable  of  meanness  or  anything  which  could  lower 
the  flag  of  her  order.  She  was  supremely  insolent,  too, 
but  then  she  never  did  anything  which  could  impair 
people's  respect. 

She  was  hard  and  generous — and  acted  up  to  the 
doctrine  that  "noblesse  oblige"  and  entirely  believed  in 
the  divine  right  of  kings  and  of  Sarah  Lady  Garri- 
bardine!  She  had  not  been  a  thirteenth  century 
Baron's  daughter  for  nothing!  Katherine  Bush  shared 
every  one  of  Her  Ladyship's  views  and  moulded  all 
her  ideals  upon  them. 

Each  day  she  was  enlarging  her  vocabulary  of  words 
to  use — adapting  sentences  which  she  had  read  of  fine 
English  to  modem  requirements,  pruning  colloquial- 
isms, cultivating  pronunciation,  polishing  her  critical 
faculties.  She  was  perfectly  conscious  that  she  had 
often  employed  homely  phrases  in  the  past,  and  had 
not  always  paid  enough  attention  to  grammar  in  speak- 
ing, though  for  some  time  she  had  not  used  "whatever 
for,"  or  "of  a  Sunday,"  as  poor  Matilda  always  did. 

She  learned  as  much  comparatively  of  the  general 
world  of  society  in  that  one  week,  as  she  had  learned 
of  the  nature  of  man  in  her  three  days  with  Lord  Algy. 
lie  was  her  first  step — these  women  were  her  second. 
Lady  Garribardine  was  her  head  master,  and  Gerard 
Strobridge  should  be  her  tutor — when  the  moment  she 
was  ready  for  him  came. 

Her  suspicions  as  to  her  employer's  disapproval  of 
the  Duchess  of  Dashington  were  realised  fully  one  day, 
in  the  beginning  of  the  week.  The  poor  young-old  lady's 
rheumatism  was  very  painful,  and  she  remained  in  her 

100 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

room  having  her  favourite  nephew  and  Mrs.  Dclemar 
up  with  her  there  to  lunch,  on  a  little  table  close  to  her 
gilt  bed. 

Katherine  was  writing  at  an  escritoire  near,  having 
finished  her  own  meal  downstairs. 

"You  need  not  go,  Miss  Bush,  if  you  can  continue 
those  invitations  with  our  chatter." 

So  Katherine  stayed. 

The  three  talked  of  many  things  at  first  and  Kath- 
erine hardly  noticed  them,  but  presently  her  atten- 
tion was  caught  by  a  name.  Mr.  Strobridge  was  say- 
ing: 

"Seraphim,  it  will  be  very  difiicult  to  refuse  Dulcie 
Dashington,  she  has  written  to  Beatrice  this  morning 
— she  is  quite  determined  to  play  the  part  of  Nell  Gwyn 
as  the  orange-girl." 

"Then  she  can  play  it  in  some  other  tableaua: 
•vivants — but  not  in  these  that  I  am  arranging."  Her 
Ladyship's  voice  was  acid. 

"But  why,  dearest  Sarah,  are  you  so  down  on  poor 
Dulcie.?"  Mrs.  Delemar  protested.  "She  is  really  a  very 
good  sort,  and  looks  so  splendid  in  these  short-skirted, 
rather  common  clothes." 

"I  am  not  hard  on  her,  Lao ;  I  am  sure,  had  she  been 
the  wife  of  a  jolly  young  stockbroker  addicted  to  low 
practical  jokes  and  rowdy  sport,  she  would  have  been 
a  most  admirable  creature.  It  is  not  the  woman  I  am 
down  on;  there  is  just  such  another  at  Blissington,  she 
helps  me  with  the  bazaars  and  the  school  treats,  her 
husband  is  a  local  brewer,  and  we  arc  capital  friends. 
It  is  the  Duchess  of  Dashington  I  ostracise,  as  I  con- 
sider she  has  done  more  to  degrade  her  order  in  these 
socialistic  days  than  any  other  member  of  our  sadly 
humbled  peerage." 

101 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHEBINE  BUSH 

The  other  two  laughed  amusedly,  but  Lady  Garri- 
bardine  went  on,  raising  her  voice  a  little.  It  was  a 
subject  upon  which  she  felt  so  deeply,  that  it  overcame 
for  the  moment  her  usual  dryly  humorous  handling  of 
any  matter. 

"Let  her  have  her  lovers — we  have  all  had  lovers — 
No  one  in  the  least  objects  to  them,  arranged  suitably, 
and  of  one's  own  class.  I  am  not  concerned  with  her 
or  any  other  woman's  physical  morality. — Such  moral- 
ity is  a  question  of  temperament  and  geography  and 
custom — but  I  am  profoundl}'  concerned  to  endeavour 
to  keep  up  some  semblance  of  dignity  in  the  aristoc- 
rac}",  and  Dulcie  Dashington  has  lowered  the  whole 
prestige  of  Duchesses  because  she  is  of  gentle  birth — 
though  Heaven  knows  what  her  father  was  with  poor 
dear  Susan's  irresponsible  ways  !" 

Gerard  Strobridge  smiled  as  he  lit  a  cigarette. 

"There  is  a  great  deal  in  what  you  say.  Seraphim; 
she  has  certainly  dragged  the  title  down  a  good  deal, 
with  her  fancies  for  professional  gamesters  of  all  sorts 
for  friends,  and  her  total  disregard  of  tradition  at 
Dashington — but  you  forget  that  she  has  had  a  good 
deal  to  put  up  with  from  Toni,  who  is  an  impossible 
husband." 

"No  man  is  an  impossible  husband  if  he  is  a  Duke ; 
at  least  no  Duchess  ought  to  find  him  so — and  if  he 
were,  that  is  not  the  slightest  excuse.  When  a  woman 
undertakes  a  great  position  she  should  realise  that  per- 
sonal feelings  have  ceased  to  count.  She  has,  so  to 
speak,  accepted  the  responsibility  of  guarding  the 
safety  of  an  order,  just  as  a  sentry  is  responsible  when 
he  is  on  duty.  He  would  be  shot  in  war  time  if  he  fell 
asleep  on  duty — however  pitiful  his  case  might  be  from 
hardship  and  want  of  rest.     He  would  be  shot  as  an 

102 


"  'No  man  is  an  impossible  husband  if  lie  is  a  Duke. 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

example  to  the  others  not  to  allow  even  nature  to  over- 
come them  and  endanger  the  post." 

"It  seems  very  cruel,"  piped  Mrs.  Delemar. 

"Not  at  all!"  Lady  Garribardlne  flashed  while  her 
voice  vibrated  with  scorn.  "We  are  at  war  now  with 
the  Radical  masses  and  cannot  afford  to  jeopardise 
positions — either  keep  up  prestige,  or  throw  up  the 
game  and  let  the  whole  thing  go  by  the  board,  but  while 
we  pretend  there  is  still  an  aristocracy  in  England  we, 
the  members  of  it,  should  defend  it.  Dulcie  Dashington 
and  her  ways  and  her  photographs  in  the  papers,  and 
her  vulgarity,  and  the  flaunting  of  her  unsavoury  do- 
mestic aff"airs,  are  a  byword  and  as  long  as  I  have  a 
voice  in  society,  and  can  lay  some  claim  to  power,  I 
shall  let  it  be  known  what  my  opinion  is,  and  why  I 
will  not  receive  her.  To  me  there  is  no  sin  like  betray- 
ing an  order." 

"I  suppose  you  are  quite  right,"  Mrs.  Delemar  now 
agreed  meekl}^,  "but  there  are  such  lots  of  odd  people 
in  society  who  do  unheard-of  things ;  it  is  these  boys 
marrying  these  wretched  actresses  or  Americans  which 
has  eiianged  everything." 

"Not  at  all !"  contradicted  her  ladyship.  "Boys  have 
always  married  actresses  from  time  to  time,  and  some 
of  them  have  proved  very  decent  creatures,  and  if  they 
do  err,  v,hat  does  it  matter?  No  one  expects  better 
from  them,  they  are  making  no  real  breach  in  the  wall. 
— ^And  as  for  Americans,  they  are  often  very  pretty  and 
so  clever  that  they  seldom  disgrace  their  new  station ; 
they  are  like  converts  to  Rome,  more  zealous  than  the 
born  papists.  The  only  evil  which  can  lie  at  their  door 
is  that  they  have  too  much  money,  and  have  given  false 
values  to  entertaining,  and  perhaps  have  encouraged 
eccentric  amusements. — No,  my  dear  child,  it  is  the 

103 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

English-women  themselves  who  have  lost  self-respect, 
and  have  lowered  the  flag,  and  when  one  of  really  high 
birth  docs  it,  like  Dulcie  Dashington,  she  should  be 
made  to  pay  the  price." 

This  was  unanswerable  Katherine  Bush  thought  as 
she  listened,  and  she  wondered  why  the  other  two  should 
chaff  lightly,  as  though  it  were  just  one  of  Lady  Garri- 
bardine's  notions.  That  is  what  generally  astonished 
her  a  good  deal;  no  one  appeared  to  have  any  convic- 
tions or  enthusiasm,  they  seemed  to  her  to  be  a  com- 
pany of  drifters,  so  little  energy  appeared  to  be  shown 
by  any  of  them.  They  were  unpunctual  and  unprac- 
tical, but  they  were  amusing  and  deliciously  happy-go- 
lucky.  If  they  had  any  real  feelings  none  appeared 
upon  the  surface;  even  Lady  Beatrice  and  her  coterie 
of  highly  evolved  poetesses  and  other  artistic  worldings, 
flew  from  theme  to  theme,  turning  intent  faces  upon 
new  fads  each  week. 

Most  people's  manners  were  casual,  and  their  atti- 
tudes, too,  would  often  have  shocked  Mabel  Cawber, 
so  far  were  they  from  being  genteel.  The  few  who  truly 
fulfilled  Katherine  Bush's  ideas  of  the  meaning  of  the 
word  "lady"  stood  out  like  stars.  But  with  all  these 
flaws,  as  a  collection  of  people,  there  was  that  ease  of 
manner,  that  total  absence  of  self-consciousness,  about 
them  which  never  could  be  known  at  Bindon's  Green. 

"I  suppose  times  are  changed,"  Katherine  told  her- 
self, "and  the  laxity  is  producing  a  new  type — I  do 
wonder  how  they  would  all  behave  if  some  cataclysm 
happened  again,  like  the  French  Revolution.  But  when 
my  day  comes  I  mean  to  uphold  the  order  which  I  shall 
join,  as  Her  Ladyship  does." 

At  the  last  moment.  Lady  Beatrice  did  not  go  as 
Ganymede  to  the  Artist  Models'  ball.     The  history  of 

104 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

her  alteration  of  character  was  a  rather  bitterly  humor- 
ous story  for  Gerard  Strobridgc's  ears.  She  had  been 
trying  on  the  dress  when  a  note  had  arrived  with  a 
parcel  for  her  from  her  husband's  aunt,  which  con- 
tained a  very  beautiful  Greek  mantle  with  these  few 
words : 

Dear  Child, 

I  send  you  this  mantle  which  I  hope  you  will  wear;  it 
will  not  really  spoil  the  character  of  your  Ganymede  dress, 
and  from  the  back  it  will  hide  the  fact  that  your  legs  are 
very  slightly  bowed.  Your  charming  face  will  help  to  dis- 
tract eyes  from  the  front  view,  and  this  very  small  flaw  in 
your  anatomy  will  pass  unnoticed. 

Affectionately  yours, 

Sarah  Garribardine. 

She  had  written  it  with  her  own  hand.  Lady  Beatrice 
stamped  with  rage,  and  then  flew  to  her  looking-glass. 
She  stood  this  way  and  that,  and  finally  came  to  the 
conclusion  that  there  might  be  the  faintest  substratum 
of  truth  in  the  accusation.  The  rest  of  the  limbs  were 
not  so  perfect  as  her  tiny  ankles.  It  would  not  be  safe 
to  risk  criticism.  So  the  costume  was  altered  and  be- 
came a  Flora  with  garlands  of  roses  and  long  diaphan- 
ous draperies — and  Gerard  and  Lady  Garribardine 
watched  her  entry  with  the  Vermont  party  with  re- 
lieved eyes,  and  the  wily  aunt  said : 

*'You  can  achieve  the  impossible  with  women,  G.,  if 
you  only  appeal  to,  or  wound,  tiieir  vanity.  You  must 
never  give  orders  to  one  unless  she  is  in  love  with  you — 
then  she  glories  in  obedience — but  a  modern  wife  can 
only  be  controlled  either  on  the  principle  of  the  Irish- 
man's pig  being  driven  towards  Dublin  when  it  was 
intended  for  Cork,  or  by  a  Machiavellian  manipulation 
of  her  self-love." 

105 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

"And  then  the  game  is  not  worth  the  candle,"  Mr. 
Strobridge  sighed  with  a  little  discouragement.  "I 
wonder,  Seraphim,  what  is  worth  while?  Striving  for 
the  infinite,  I  suppose — certainly  the  finite  things  are 
but  Dead  Sea  fruit." 

"Gerard,  my  poor  boy,  you  make  me  fear,  when  you 
talk  like  that,  that  one  day  you  will  be  profoundly  in 
love !" 

"Heaven  forbid! — It  would  upset  my  digestion.  I 
was  thirty-five  last  month  and  have  to  be  careful !" 

And  in  her  comfortable  bed  in  Berkeley  Square, 
Katherine  Bush  read  "The  Letters  of  Lady  Mary 
Wortlcy  Montagu"  far  into  the  night. 

Society  had  not  altered  in  many  respects  since  these 
hundred  and  sixty  odd  years  ago,  she  thought ! 

The  tableaux  were  the  greatest  success  and  a  large 
sum  of  money  was  secured  for  one  of  Lady  Garribar- 
dine's  pet  charities. 

Time  went  on,  Christmas  was  approaching.  It  was 
to  be  spent  at  Blissington  Court,  the  place  Lady  Garri- 
bardine  had  inherited  with  the  barony  of  d'Estaire  from 
her  father.  Garribardine  was  a  Scotch  title  while  her 
ladyship  was  rabidly  English.  They  would  go  down  to 
Blissington  and  have  a  family  party.  Her  three  grand- 
children (her  daughter,  Lady  Mereton,  was  far  away, 
the  bored  wife  of  a  Colonial  Governor),  Gerard  Stro- 
bridge  and  perliaps  Lady  Beatrice  and  the  two  old 
cousins  with  a  young  niece  of  theirs,  and  a  stray  man 
or  two,  and  Mrs.  Delemar — but  no  one  could  be  sure 
wlio  would  turn  up  at  the  end.  Katherine  was  not  to 
have  any  hohday ;  she  had  come  too  recently,  her  em- 
plo^-er  explained  to  her,  and  the  Christmas  accumula- 
tions were  quite  beyond  her  power  to  tackle  alone. 

Katherine  was  grateful — she  looked  forward  to  see- 

106 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

iiif^  this  country  home  with  pleasure.  She  had  been 
kept  unusually  busy  and  so  had  very  rarely  seen  any 
one  except  Her  Ladyship.  But  one  morning  about  ten 
da^'s  before  they  were  to  go  down  into  Blankshire,  Lady 
Garribardine  informed  her  secretary  she  was  to  be  given 
for  the  whole  afternoon  to  Mr.  Strobridge  to  type  a 
quantity  of  letters  about  a  new  charity  he  was  arrang- 
ing for  her. 

"My  nephew  dictates  abominably,  but  he  said  that 
you  had  understood  him  so  well  that  first  evening  when 
you  arrived  a  month  ago,  that  he  has  asked  me  to  lend 
you  to  him  to-day  for  this  business,  and  I  have  con- 
sented. He  will  lunch  here,  so  have  plenty  of  paper 
ready  for  the  afternoon,"  Then  as  Katherine  was 
leaving  the  room,  she  handed  her  a  ten-pound  note. 

"Here  is  a  little  present  for  you.  Miss  Bush,  for 
Christmas ;  I  want  you  to  buy  yourself  an  evening  frock 
— you  must  dine  with  us  on  Christmas  Day  and  perhaps 
you  had  not  provided  for  this  possibility.  I  am  very 
pleased  with  you,  girl — you  work  splendidly." 

Katherine  coloured  to  th»  roots  of  her  ashen-hued, 
glistening  hair.  She  could  not  analyse  her  emotions! 
She  hated  presents,  and  yet  she  was  gratified  at  the 
kindliness  and  appreciation  which  lay  in  the  manner 
of  the  gift. 

"Your  Ladyship  is  too  good,"  she  said  very  low.  "I 
have  simply  done  my  duty — but  I  will  endeavour  to 
buy  something  suitable  with  the  money  which  is  far 
more  than  enoush." 

The  old  lady  looked  at  her  critically  with  her  head 
a  little  on  one  side — she  understood  what  the  blush 
had  arisen  from  and  she  appreciated  the  pride  in  the 
girl. 

.   "The  creature  must  have  some  breeding  in  her  some- 

107 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 


where  in  spite  of  the  auctioneer  parentage.  I  must  talk 
to  her  when  we  get  to  Blissington.  She  may  prove  a 
great  interest  for  my  old  age." 

But  she  said  aloud: 

"Well,  get  what  you  like  with  it.  I  leave  it  to  you, 
your  taste  is  excellent — and  while  you  are  out,  pay 
these  two  bills  for  me,  and  take  a  little  walk — you  have 
been  looking  rather  pale;  I  fear  you  have  not  taken 
enough  outdoor  exercise  lately." 

Katherine  thanked  her  and  went  rapidly  to  her  room, 
a  sense  of  excitement  and  anticipation  in  her  heart. 
This  might  prove  an  interesting  afternoon.  There  she 
reviewed  her  wardrobe.  Her  "dressy"  blouse  from  Ox- 
ford Street  was  too  ornate  for  the  daytime,  and  she 
thought  now  in  rather  bad  taste,  and  her  morning  ones 
were  too  dowdy.  This  was  a  great  occasion  and  one 
which  she  had  been  waiting  for.  She  was  to  go  home 
late  on  this  Friday  to  stay  the  night  at  Bindon's  Green. 
Matilda  had  insisted  upon  it,  because  it  was  her  birth- 
day; she  would  be  thirty  years  old.  She  had  been 
quite  tearful  about  it  on  the  second  occasion  on  which 
she  had  met  her  sister  in  the  Park. 

"You  need  not  cast  us  all  off  like  this,  Kitten,"  she 
pleaded,  "and  we  shall  have  Mabel  and  a  few  other 
friends  on  Friday  night,  and  Fred  has  given  us  a  lot 
of  lovely  new  nigger  song  records  for  the  gramophone, 
and  it  will  all  be  so  awfully  jolly." 

So  Katherine  had  promised  to  go,  and  this  fell  in 
admirably  with  her  plans.  There  would  be  a  real  ex- 
cuse for  her  to  have  her  hair  waved.  She  had  been 
given  the  evening  off  and  it  was  known  that  she  was 
going  home.  She  would  consult  Gladys  again  for  the 
frock  for  Christmas  night  and  buy  what  was  necessary 
on  her  way  back  to  Berkeley  Square  on  the  morrow. 

108 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

It  was  the  first  time  in  her  hfe  that  a  hairdresser 
had  ever  touched  her  thick  mop  of  hair,  and  she  had 
no  idea  of  the  difference  to  her  appearance  that  it 
would  make.  But  so  critical  and  observant  of  all  things 
had  become  her  eye  that  she  realised  with  her  first  peep 
in  tlie  mirror,  when  the  ondulation  was  complete,  that 
it  had  turned  her  into  almost  a  beauty.  The  broad 
waves  fell  back  from  the  parting  and  showed  the  ad- 
mirable planting  of  her  brow  and  the  Greek  setting  of 
her  magnetic  eyes.  She  allowed  no  elaboration  of 
fashion,  but  had  her  ample  tresses  bound  tightly  to 
her  head — the  effect  was  distinguished  and  gave  her 
satisfaction.  Then  from  the  hairdresser's  she  went 
and  bought  another  blouse — something  pale  grey  and 
becoming,  and  with  the  parcel  she  got  back  to  Berke- 
ley Square  in  good  time  for  luncheon  and  began  to 
dress  herself. 

She  was  glad  her  hands  were  so  white,  she  had  lately 
taken  to  giving  great  care  to  the  polish  of  her  nails — 
she  wished  her  feet  were  smaller,  but  they  were  well 
shaped  and  no  one's  feet  were  really  small  nowadays, 
Lady  Garribardine  had  said ! 

She  was  quite  content  with  the  picture  she  saw  in 
her  looking-glass  before  she  went  downstairs.  It  was 
of  a  tall,  slim  girl  with  a  very  white,  smooth  face — 
extraordinary  eyes  under  level,  dark  brows,  and  a  big 
red  mouth,  and  hair  of  silvery  fairness  that  glistened 
grey,  not  gold,  in  its  lights.  She  knew  very  well  that 
she  was  attractive,  and  gave  one  of  her  rare  soft  laughs. 

A  month  and  more  of  mental  discipline  and  acute 
observation  of  those  in  that  status  of  refinement  to 
which  she  wished  to  attain  had  given  her  numerous 
subtle  distinctions  of  manner  which  she  had  not 
possessed  before.     She  looked  like  a  lady,  and  felt  that 

109 


THE  CABEER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 


she  was  approaching  the  time  when  she  lierself — most 
severe  of  all  critics — might  consider  herself  to  be  one. 
She  was  nearly  as  excited  as  on  that  afternoon  when 
she  had  left  Livingstone  and  Dcvereux's  to  go  on  a  three 
days'  honeymoon  with  Lord  Algy.  She  made  herself 
eat  her  luncheon  as  calmly  as  usual,  and  then  when  tlie 
tray  had  been  taken  away  she  opened  the  window  wide 
and  poured  a  packet  of  cedarwood  dust  on  the  fire — 
and  she  was  sitting  demurely  at  the  table  when  from 
the  library  Lady  Garribardine  and  Mr.  Strobridge 
came  in. 

Gerard  Strobridge  carried  a  bag  full  of  papers  and 
looked  cross  and  harassed. 

"Now  G.  you  may  have  the  services  of  Miss  Bush 
until  five  o'clock;  that  will  give  3'ou  two  hours  and  a 
half — ^you  must  not  keep  her,  as  she  is  going  home  to- 
night— then  come  up  to  my  sitting-room  to  tea,"  and 
Lady  Garribardine  went  out  of  the  other  door  which 
her  nephew  held  open  for  her. 

Katherine  had  risen  and  gone  immediately  to  a  cup- 
board, ostensibly  to  get  something  out  for  her  work, 
so  she  hoped  Her  Ladyship  had  not  remarked  her  hair 
— which  indeed  had  happily  been  the  case. 

Mr.  Strobridge  had  not  even  glanced  in  her  direc- 
tion, but  her  moment  came  when  she  sat  down  at  the 
typing  machine,  and  looked  straight  up  into  his  eyes 
as  slie  asked  in  her  deep  alluring  voice: 

"What  do  you  wish  me  to  begin  upon,  please.'"' 

Then  he  took  in  the  whole  effect  and  a  wave  of  in- 
tense astonishment  swept  over  him.  What  had  hap- 
pened? Was  he  dreaming?  Was  this  beautiful  crea- 
ture the  ordinary,  silent,  admirable  typist,  Katherine 
Bush? 


CHAPTER    X 

HE  pulled  himself  together  and  took  some  papers 
from  his  bag  without  speaking,  and  when  he 
had  selected  two  or  three,  he  drew  a  chair  up 
to  the  other  side  of  the  table  and  began  to  dictate, 
stopping  every  now  and  then  to  explain  the  purport  of 
his  arguments. 

They  worked  so  for  perhaps  an  hour. 

"One  has  to  do  these  things,"  he  said  at  last,  as 
Katherine  had  not  uttered  a  word.  "One  wonders  some- 
times if  there  is  any  good  in  them." 

"I  suppose  all  effort  has  some  merit,"  she  responded, 
without  looking  up.  He  began  to  long  to  make  her 
raise  her  eyes  again. 

"You  think  so? — On  what  grounds.''" 

"It  exercises  a  useful  faculty." 

"What  faculty.?" 

"Will,  of  course ;  to  use  effort  is  an  exercise  of  will, 
because  if  there  was  no  effort  needed,  no  will  would  be 
required  either." 

He  smiled  whimsically ;  this  was  obvious. 

"Then  I  must  look  upon  the  organisation  of  this  very 
intricate  charity,  of  doubtful  use  to  mankind,  as  profit- 
able to  me  because  of  the  effort  entailed." 

"It  is  as  good  a  way  as  any  other  of  looking  at  it. — 
Did  you  say  quarterly  or  monthly  returns  upon  the 
capital?" 

"Oh — er — "  glancing  at  his  papers — "the  con- 
founded thing!     Where  is  it —  Yes — quarterly." 

Ill 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH\ 

The  machine  cHcked  uninterruptedly.  Katherine 
never  looked  up. 

He  began  to  allow  himself  to  take  in  details.  Why 
had  he  not  remarked  before  that  she  had  an  extraordi- 
narily well-shaped  head? — ^And  what  wonderful  hands 
— in  these  days  of  athletic,  weather-beaten  paws !  She 
would  be  very  stately,  too,  when  she  filled  out  a  little. 
The  whole  tiling  was  agrcebly  symmetrical,  throat  and 
shoulders,  and  bust  and  hips. 

"Wh}^,  in  the  name  of  all  the  gods,  have  I  never 
noticed  this  young  woman  before !  She  thinks,  too ! 
That  was  a  curious  reflection  about  will — I'd  like  to 
talk  to  her — The  devil  takes  this  d — d — charity !" 

So  his  thoughts  ran  and  his  eyes  eagerly  devoured 
Katherine's  face. 

She  was  perfectly  conscious  of  the  fact;  she  knew 
with  unerring  instinct  that  the  spark  which  she  had 
dispatched  by  that  first  steady  gaze  of  her  eyes  had 
struck  tinder,  the  flame  of  interest  was  ignited,  and 
the  more  difficult  she  made  things  now,  the  more  com- 
plete would  be  her  triumph  presently.  She  resolutely 
kept  her  attention  upon  her  work,  never  raising  her 
head. 

"To  be  so  meritoriously  industrious,  are  you  using 
eff*ort?"  he  asked,  in  a  moment  or  two.  "You  look  as 
though  you  had  a  most  formidable  will!" 

"Very  little  eff'ort;  it  is  second  nature  to  me  now." 

"Even  if  the  subject  is  as  uninteresting  as  this?" 

"That  is  all  the  better;  one  can  let  one's  mechanical 
brain  tackle  it,  and  one's  real  thoughts  can  wander." 

"Where  to?" 

She  put  in  a  fresh  sheet  of  paper — and  now  glanced 
at  him  again  for  one  second. 

"Into  dreamland." 

112 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

"Yes,  that  is  a  ridiculously  pleasant  place  devoid  of 
draughts  and  of  chilling  surprises.  It  would  be  very 
impertinent,  I  suppose,  if  I  asked  you  where  is  your 
dreamland?" 

"Perhaps  not  impertinent — out  of  place.  You  are 
dictating  a  letter  to  the  Lord  Mayor  of  London  at 
the  moment." 

"To  be  sure  I  am — you  made  me  forget  it — ^he  is  an 
infernal  bore,  the  Lord  Mayor  of  London,  compelling 
me  to  branch  off  from  this  very  interesting  conversa- 
tion to  his  confounded  letter ! — I  beg  your  pardon  !" 

Katherine  read  aloud  the  last  coherent  sentence  he 
had  given  her,  and  she  permitted  one  of  her  faint 
sphinxlike  smiles  to  play  about  her  mouth,  while  her 
eyes  sought  the  typing. 

Gerard  Strobridge  moved  a  little  nearer — ^he  felt  a 
sudden  strong  thrill. 

"I  shall  not  give  you  another  word  to  type  until  you 
tell  me  about  your  dreamland — Is  it  in  sea  or  sky  or 
air.?" 

"It  is  half-past  three  o'clock  and  you  are  only  to 
stay  until  five — had  you  not  better  attend  to  your  work 
first,  SIT?" 

She  was  waiting  in  an  attitude  of  respectful  atten- 
tion, infinitely  provoking. 

"Certainly  not !  I  shall  ask  my  aunt  to  lend  you  to 
me  for  another  day  if  we  do  not  finish  this  afternoon — 
Indeed,  on  second  thoughts,  I  do  not  think  I  shall  try 
to  finish  to-day — we  can  complete  the  matter  at  Bliss- 
ington — "  And  then  he  stopped  abruptly — Lao  Dele- 
mar  would  be  there !  He  had  melted  her  into  a  mood 
from  which  everything  could  be  hoped  during  this  week 
of  uneventful  family  party — Beatrice  would  only  stay 
for  Christmas  Day,  and  was  indeed  no  great  obstacle 

113 


THE  CAEEER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 


in  any  case.  But  he  feared  he  would  probably  not  be 
able  to  have  interesting  business  interviews  during  the; 
holidays  with  his  aunt's  typist. 

He  laughed  shortly  to  himself,  and  dictated  a  long 
sentence,  concluding  the  letter  to  the  Lord  Mayor.  He 
had  better  control  the  interest  he  was  feeling,  that  was 
evident ! 

Katherine  made  no  remark,  while  she  wondered  what 
had  stopped  his  questioning  so  suddenly.  She  smiled 
again  a  little.  It  had  the  desired  efFect — Mr.  Stro- 
bridge  jumped  up  from  his  chair  and  went  to  the  fire- 
place. 

"Well — what  are  you  thinking  about?"  he  demanded, 
from  there. 

"My  work,  of  course!  What  else  should  I  be  ihink- 
ing  about?"  Her  eyes  at  last  met  his  in  innocent  sur- 
prise. 

"I  don't  believe  you  are  quite  truthful — one  does  not 
smile  in  that  enigmatic  fashion  over  work — dull,  tedious 
work  hke  this,  statistics  of  bodies  who  are  to  benefit 
by  this  absurd  charity — Oh!  no,  fair  scribe!  I  feel 
there  hes  a  world  of  mahce  in  that  smile." 

"Even  a  scribe  is  permitted  sometimes  to  make  re- 
flections." 

"Not  without  confessing  what  they  are." 
"We  are   not   in   the   days   of  the   Spanish   Inquisi- 
tion— "  taking  up  a  paper.     "On  the  first  hst  there  is 
a  letter  for  the  Mayor  of  Manchester." 
"Confound  the  Mayor  of  Manchester!" 
"Poor  gentleman  I" 

"I  must  know  all  about  dreamland  and  cryptic  re- 
flections first." 

He  drew  the  armchair  now  over  towards  her  and 
flung  himself  into  it.     He  was  a  graceful  creature,  not 

114) 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 


so  tall  or  so  ideally  perfect  of  form  as  Lord  Algy,  but 
a  very  presentable  Englishman,  with  a  wonderful  dis- 
tinction of  manner  and  voice. 

Katherine  Bush  was  experiencing  intense  pleasure — 
there  was  something  feline,  if  not  altogether  feminine, 
in  her  well-balanced  brain.  It  was  peculiarly  gratifying 
to  find  that  her  plans  were  being  justified.  How  glad 
she  was  that  he  had  not  remarked  her  in  her  raw  days ! 
How  wise  she  had  been  to  have  made  ready — and  then 
waited!  The  whole  thing  was  the  more  effective  be- 
cause of  the  complete  absence  of  all  dramatic  emotion 
in  her.  She  was  hke  a  quiet,  capable  foreign  minister 
playing  his  game  of  statecraft  with  the  representative 
of  another  country,  his  face  permitted  to  express — or 
conceal — only  what  he  desired. 

At  this  moment,  she  shrugged  her  shoulders  very 
slightly,  as  though  to  say,  "I  am  only  an  employe.  I 
cannot  force  3'ou  to  work  if  you  will  not" ;  but  she  did 
not  speak,  so  he  was  obliged  to  demand  again. 

"Won't  you  tell  me  what  made  you  smile? — We  can 
drift  to  dreamland  afterwards." 

"No — I  will  not  tell  you  what  made  me  smile,  be- 
cause I  do  not  know  exactly;  the  aspect  of  life  gen- 
erally, perhaps." 

"And  you  sit  and  work  in  this  gloomy  back  room 
all  day — ^\Vhat  do  you  know  about  life.^" 

"I  am  observing — I  know  that  one  must  pretend  in- 
terest in  v.hat  one  is  bored  by — and  one  must  show 
attention  to  those  one  despises — and — keep  from  laugh- 
ing at  things." 

"What  a  dangerous  young  woman,  watching  and 
coming  to  cynical  conclusions — but  you  say  trul}^ ;  one 
must  keep  from  laughing  at  things — a  very  difficult 
matter  generally."     Pie  laj-  back   against   the  brown 

115 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 


leather  cushion,  and  proved  the  truth  of  this  by  laugh- 
ing softly,  while  he  looked  at  her  quaintly. 

Katherine  Bush  suddenly  felt  that  a  human  being 
understood  ztnth  her;  it  was  a  delightful  sensation. 

"Practically  the  whole  of  life  is  a  ridiculous  sham 
and  must  arouse  the  sardonic  mirth  of  the  gods — 
Here  are  you  and  I  spending  an  afternoon  arranging 
a  charity  in  which  neither  of  us  takes  the  least  interest 
— I  am  dictating  fulsome  letters  to  Lord  Mayors  to  in- 
duce them  to  influence  others  to  open  their  purses — I 
don't  care  a  jot  whether  they  do  or  they  do  not — You 
are  mechanically  transcribing  my  asinine  words,  and  we 
could  be  so  much  better  employed  exchanging  views — 
on  each  other's  taste,  say — or  each  other's  dream- 
lands." 

Katherine  Bush  looked  down  and  allowed  her  hands 
to  fall  idly  in  her  lap — he  should  do  most  of  the  speak- 
ing. 

"The  only  good  that  I  have  been  getting  out  of  it  as 
far  as  I  can  see,"  he  went  on,  "is  the  contemplation  of 
your  really  beautiful  hands  at  work — Where  did  you 
get  such  perfect  things  in  these  days?" 

She  lifted  one  and  regarded  it  critically. 

"Yes,  I  have  often  wondered  myself.  My  father  was 
an  auctioneer,  you  know,  and  my  mother's  father  was 
a  butcher." 

Gerard  Strobrldge  was  extremely  entertained.  She 
was  certainly  a  very  wonderful  product  of  such  parent- 
age. 

"May  I  look  at  them  closely?"  he  asked. 

She  showed  not  the  least  embarrassment;  if  he  had 
been  asking  to  see  a  piece  of  enamel,  or  a  china  vase 
she  could  not  have  been  more  detached  about  it.  She 
held  them  out  quite  naturally,  and  he  rose  and  took 

116 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATIIERINE  BUSH 

them  in  his  own.  Their  touch  was  cool  and  firm,  and 
every  inch  of  his  being  tingled  with  pleasure.  He  ex- 
amined them  minutely  finger  by  finger,  stroking  the  rosy 
filbert  nails  in  admiration,  while  an  insane  desire  to 
clasp  and  kiss  their  owner  grew  in  him. 

Katherine  Bush  was  perfectly  aware  of  this,  and 
when  she  thought  he  had  felt  emotion  enough  for  the 
occasion,  she  drew  them  back  as  naturally  as  she  had 
given  them. 

"I  am  always  asking  myself  questions  about  such 
things,"  she  remarked,  in  a  tone  of  speculative  matter- 
of-factness.  "I  am  so  often  seeing  contradictions  since 
1  have  been  here — My  former  conclusions  are  a  little 
upset." 

"What  were  they?"  He  had  returned  to  his  chair. 
He  was  no  novice  to  be  carried  away  by  his  sensations, 
and  he  knew  very  well  that  to  indulge  them  further  at 
present  would  be  very  unwise,  and  perhaps  check  a 
most  promising  amusement. 

"I  believed  that  birth  and  breeding  gave  fine  ears 
and  fine  ankles  and  fine  hands — as  well  as  moral  quali- 
ties." 

"And  you  have  been  disappointed.''" 

"Yes,  very — have  not  you.''" 

"No,  because  I  have  had  no  illusions — one  never  can 
tell  where  a  side  cross  comes  in,  or  what  will  be  the 
effect  of  overbreeding — that  runs  to  enormities  some- 
times." 

"I  suppose  so — " 

"And  have  the  moral  qualities  surprised  you 
also.?" 

"Oh,  yes — more  than  the  physical;  I  have  seen  and 
heard  what  I  would  have  thought  were  common  things 
even  at  Bindon's  Green." 

in 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

He  laughed  again — If  the  crew  wlio  had  attended  the 
tableaux  rehearsals  could  have  heard  her! 

"You  are  perfectly  right — looked  at  in  the  abstract, 
I  suppose  we  are  rather  a  shoddy  company  nowadays." 

"There  are  individuals  who  come  up  to  the  measure, 
of  course,  but  not  all  of  them,  as  I  had  imagined.  You 
must  have  opened  the  doors  to  quite  ordinary  people 
to  have  made  such  a  mixture." 

"We  have  grown  indifferent ;  we  no  longer  care  about 
a  standard,  I  fear." 

"That  is  why  you  let  all  these  Radicals  be  in  power, 
perhaps — You  have  become  effete  like  the  nobles  before 
the  revolution  in  France,  who  could  only  die  like  gentle- 
men, but  not  live  like  men." 

Gerard  Strobridge  was  startled.  This  from  the 
granddaughter  of  a  butcher  of  Bindon's  Green  ! 

"She  picks  it  all  up  from  Seraphim,  of  course,"  he 
reflected  presently.  "And  yet — look  at  her  strange 
face ! — it  is  a  woman  of  parts  from  wherever  it  has 
come !" 

"That  is  an  apt  phrase — Avhere  did  you  find  it — 
*die  like  gentleman,  but  not  live  like  men'.''" 

"I  don't  know,  it  just  came  from  thinking  and  read- 
ing about  them — so  much  was  fine,  and  so  much — 
foohsh." 

"Yes — and  you  think  we  are  growing  also  to  that 
stage  in  England.''  Perhaps  you  are  right;  we  want 
some  great  national  danger  to  pull  us  together." 

"You  will  rust  out  otherwise,  and  it  will  be  such  a 
pity." 

"You  think  we  are  good  enough  to  keep?" 

"In  your  highest  development — like  Her  Ladyship — 
you  are,  I  should  think,  the  best  things  for  a  country 
in  the  world." 

118 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATIIEEINE  BUSH 

She  knew  he  was  drawing  her  out  and  was  very 
pleased  to  be  so  drawn. 

"Tell  me  about  us — what  have  we  that  is  good  ?'* 

"You  have  a  sense  of  values — you  know  what  is  worth 
having — You  have  had  hundreds  of  years  to  acquire 
the  quality  of  looking  ahead.  No  person  of  the  classes 
from  which  the  Radical  statesmen  are  drawn  has  nat- 
urally the  quality  of  looking  ahead ;  he  has  to  be  told 
about  it,  and  then  get  it  if  he  can — it  is  not  in  his  blood 
because  his  forebears  only  had  to  snatch  what  they 
could  for  themselves  and  their  families  day  by  day,  and 
were  not  required  to  observe  any  broad  horizon." 

"How  very  true — you  are  a  student  of  heredity  then, 
Miss  Bush?" 

"Yes — it  explains  everything.  I  examine  it  in  my- 
self; I  am  always  combating  ordinary  and  cramping 
instincts  which  I  find  I  have  got." 

"How  interesting!" 

"No  common  Radical  could  be  a  successful  foreign 
minister,  for  instance — unless  perhaps  he  were  a  Jew 
like  Disraeli — but  they  have  sense  enough  to  know  that 
themselves,  and  always  choose  a  gentleman,  don't 
they.?" 

"You  wonderful  girl — do  you  ever  air  these  views 
to  my  aunt.?     They  would  please  her." 

"Of  course  not — Her  Ladyship  is  my  employer  and 
she  knows  my  place.  I  speak  to  her  when  I  am  spoken 
to." 

"You  think  we  on  our  side  are  too  casual,  then.? — 
That  we  are  letting  our  birthright  slip  from  us — I  be- 
lieve you  are  right." 

*'Yes — you  are  too  sure  of  yourselves.  You  think 
it  does  not  matter  really — and  so  you  let  the  others 
creep  in  with  lies  and  promises — you  let  them  alter  all 

119 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

the  standards  of  public  honour  without  a  protest,  and 
so  you  will  gradually  sink  to  the  new  level,  too — I  feel 
very  sorry  for  England  sometimes." 

"So  do  I — "  his  face  altered.  He  looked  sad,  and 
in  earnest  and  older.  For  the  moment  he  forgot  that 
he  was  wasting  valuable  time  in  the  most  agreeable  task 
of  exploiting  the  ideas  of  a  new  species  of  female;  her 
words  had  touched  a  matter  very  near  his  weary  heart. 

"What  can  we  do.'"'  he  cried,  in  a  tone  of  deep  in- 
terest.    "That  is  the  question — what  can  we  do.?" 

"You  should  all  wake  up  to  begin  with,  like  people 
do  when  they  find  that  their  houses  have  caught  fire — 
at  least,  those  whom  the  smoke  has  not  suffocated  first. 
You  ought  to  make  a  concentrated,  determined  effort  to 
save  what  you  can  to  build  a  new  shelter  with." 

"Admitted— but  how?"" 

"Have  common  sense  taught  from  the  beginning  in 
the  schools,  the  reasons  of  things  explained  to  the  chil- 
dren. If  you  knew  the  frightful  ignorance  upon  all 
the  subjects  that  matter  which  prevails  among  my  class, 
for  instance !  They  have  false  perspectives  about  every- 
thing— not  because  they  are  bad ;  in  the  mass  they 
are  much  better  than  you — but  because  they  are  so 
frightfully  ignorant  of  the  meaning  of  even  the  little 
they  have  learnt.  Everything  has  a  false  value  for 
them.  There  is  hardly  a  subject  that  they  can  see 
straightly  about;  they  are  muffled  and  blighted  with 
shams  and  hypocrisies." 

"You  should  address  meetings  among  them." 

"They  would  not  listen  to  me  for  a  moment;  the 
truths  I  would  tell  them  would  wound  their  vanity;  it 
would  only  be  in  the  schools  among  the  children  that 
anything  effectual  could  be  done." 

"You  think  so?" 

120 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATIIERINE  BUSH 


"Oh,  yes,  I  know — My  own  sisters  and  brothers  arc 
examples.  I  could  never  teach  them  anything,  and  there 
are  millions  in  England  just  like  them.  Good  as  gold 
■ — and  stupid  as  owls." 

"It  does  not  sound  hopeful,  then." 

"No,  the  rust  has  gone  too  far;  there  should  have 
been  no  education  at  all,  or  a  better  one — but  the  pres- 
ent system  looks  as  if  it  would  swamp  England  if  the 
children  are  not  taught  things  soon." 

"You  are  a  Tory,  it  would  seem." 

"No,  I  don't  think  I  am.  I  think  everyone  has  an 
equal  right,  but  only  according  to  his  capacity;  and  I 
certainly  don't  think  the  scum  of  the  earth  of  idiots 
and  wastrels  have  equal  rights  with  hardworking,  sensi- 
ble artisans." 

"Indeed,  no?— Go  on!" 

"I  think  aristocrats  are  things  apart  from  the  op- 
portunities they  have  had,  and  should  know  it,  and 
keep  up  the  prestige  and  make  their  order  a  great  goal 
to  strive  for.  You  see,  if  they  were  stamped  out,  it 
would  be  like  cutting  down  all  the  old  trees  in  Ken- 
sington Gardens ;  they  could  not  be  produced  again  for 
hundreds  of  years,  and  all  the  beauty  and  dignity  of 
the  gardens  would  be  gone.  But  aristocrats  ought  to 
act  as  such,  and  never  slip  into  the  gutter." 

"There  you  are  certainly  right.  I  am  more  than  with 
you — But  what  can  one  do.'^" 

"You  should  have  the  courage  of  your  opinions,  as 
Her  Ladyship  has — you  only  laugh  when  she  is  saying 
splendid  things  sometimes.  So  few  of  you  seem  to  have 
any  backbone  that  I  have  seen." 

"You  shame  me!" 

Her  face  became  filled  with  a  humorous  expression 
— they  had  been  serious  long  enough,  she  thought.   His 

121 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

caught  the  liglit  of  her  eyes ;  he  was  intensely  fasci- 
nated. 

"You  did  not,  of  course,  come  from — Bindon's  Green 
— is  it? — You  came  down  from  Parnassus  to  teach  us 
poor  devils  of  aristocrats  to  stick  to  our  guns — I  will 
be  your  first  disciple,  priestess  of  wisdom !" 

"It  is  five  minutes  to  four,  sir — it  will  be  quite  im- 
possible to  finish  that  pile  of  papers  to-day — And  I  did 
come  from  Bindon's  Green — and  I  am  going  back  there 
by  the  six  o'clock  train  from  Victoria,  to  a  supper 
party  at  my  home — That  is  why  my  hair  is  crimped 
and  I  have  on  this  new  blouse." 

He  got  up  and  stood  quite  near  her. 

"And  what  will  you  do  at  the  party?  I  can't  see 
you  there." 

"I  shall  look  disagreeable,  as  I  generally  do.  We 
shall  have  supper  of  cold  pressed  beef  and  cold  meat- 
pie,  and  cheese-cakes  and  figs  and  custard,  and  some 
light  dinner  ale  or  stout,  and  cups  of  tea — and  then 
when  we  have  finished  that,  there  are  a  whole  lot  of 
new  nigger  song  records  for  the  gramophone,  and  my 
brother  Bert  will  recite  imitations  of  Harry  Lauder, 
and  my  future  sister-in-law,  Miss  Mabel  Cawber,  will 
sing  'The  Chocolate  Soldier'  out  of  tune — We  shall 
make  a  great  deal  of  noise,  and  then  we  shall  push  the 
furniture  back  and  dance  the  turkey  trot  and  the 
bunny  hug,  and  some  of  the  elder  ones,  like  my  sister 
Matilda,  will  make  up  a  whist-drive,  and  at  about  one 
o'clock  I  can  get  to  bed." 

"It  sounds  perfectly  ideal;  but  you  return  from 
this  to-morrow?" 

"Yes — by  an  early  train.  I  am  not  a  favourite  at 
home.     Now  will  you  please  begin  again  to  dictate." 

He  walked  up  and  down  the  room  for  a  minute;  he 
122 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 


was  not  a  boy  accustomed  only  to  acting  from  inclina- 
tion ;  he  knew  very  well  that  it  would  be  much  wiser 
now  to  resume  attention  to  business.  So  he  took  up 
his  memoranda  and  started  once  more,  and  for  over 
half  an  hour  nothing  but  dictation  passed  between 
them ;  the  pile  of  papers  grew  considerably  less. 

"If  you  care  to  give  me  directions  for  the  rest  quick- 
ly, I  will  take  them  down  in  shorthand,  and  then  I  could 
finish  all  this  to-morrow,  some  time.  Her  Ladyship, 
I  am  sure,  would  be  better  pleased  if  her  whole  scheme 
is  complete." 

He  agreed — he  truly  admired  her  perfect  composure 
and  common  sense ;  she  was  so  capable  and  practical,  a 
person  to  be  relied  upon.  He  would  do  as  she  sug- 
gested, though  he  had  not  heard  about  dreamland  yet. 

He  set  his  mind  tc  the  aflPair  on  hand,  and  before 
the  clock  struck  five  all  was  done  and  ready  for  this 
admirable  young  woman  to  type  when  she  had  leisure. 
And  now  he  took  her  hand  again. 

"A  thousand  thanks,  Egeria,"  he  said.  "You  ought 
to  discover  a  likely  lad  and  turn  him  into  the  Prime 
Minister.  You  would  make  an  ideal  Prime  Minister's 
wife — but — er — don't  look  for  him  at  Bindon's  Green!" 

"No,  I  won't — good-night,  Mr.  Strobridge.  Thank 
you  for  your  wishes — but  I  have  other  views.  I  shall 
not  turn  my  'lad'  into  anything;  he  shall  turn  me — " 

"Into  what.?" 

"That  is  still  in  the  lap  of  the  gods,"  and  she  made 
him  the  slightest  curtsey,  and  went  with  a  bundle  of 
receipts  to  the  cupboard  in  the  wall,  while  her  grey- 
green  eyes  laughed  at  him  over  her  shoulder. 

As  Gerard  Strobridge  walked  up  the  shallow  marble 
steps  to  his  aunt's  sitting-room,  he  felt  like  a  man  in 
a  dream. 


CHAPTER    XI 

WHAT  are  jou  thinking  of,  G.?"     Lady  Gar- 
ribardinc  said,  noticing    after    a    little    while 
his   preoccupation.      "That  wretched   charity 
has  tired  you  out,  dear  boy — I  hope  Miss  Bush  was 
efficient?" 

"Quite — "  and  he  lay  back  in  his  very  comfortable 
chair  and  devoured  a  bit  of  brown  bread  and  butter. 
"The  whole  thing  is  practically  finished.  Your  secre- 
tary very  kindly  said  she  would  complete  alone  the  last 
directions,  which  she  took  down  in  shorthand." 

"Then  it  will  be  done,  G. ;  she  is  a  young  person  of 
her  word." 

Mr.  Strobridge  did  not  become  expansive;  it  was 
fortunate,  he  thought,  that  he  had  never  yet  shown 
any  interest  in  Katherine  Bush,  because  very  little  es- 
caped his  aunt's  perceptions. 

She  was  already  wondering  what  caused  his  absence 
of  mind.  He  surely  was  not  being  so  foolish  as  to 
have  allowed  himself  to  become  seriously  enamoured  of 
Liio  Dclcmar!  Her  precious  Gerard!  This  must  be 
ascertained  at  once. 

"Liio  tekplioncd  just  now  that  she  would  not  come  to 
the  play  to-niglit — Really,  the  caprices  of  these  pretty 
women  are  quite  intolerable,  throwing  one  over  at  a 
moment's  notice — masses  of  selfishness  and  conceit." 

"Yes, — aren't  they.^"  languidly. 

This  did  not  sound  a  lover's  disappointment,  but  per- 


THE  CABEER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

haps  he  was  prepared  for  her  news,  and  Lao's  proposed 
absence  was  what  caused  his  depression. 

"What  excuse  lias  she  given  3'ou?" 

He  looked  surprised. 

"None.  I  did  not  know  that  she  had  chucked ;  did 
she  give  any  reason?" 

"Some  nonsense  about  a  friend  of  her  mother's  hav- 
ing turned  up.  I  was  so  annoyed  that  I  put  the  re- 
ceiver down." 

"You  must  console  me,  carina"  and  he  leaned  for- 
ward and  took  his  aunt's  fat  hand.  "Lao  would  never 
be  missed  if  a  man  might  count  upon  you  for  his  part- 
ner." 

"Flatterer !"  but  she  smiled  complacently.  "The 
Colvins  can  both  talk  to  Tom  Hawthorne  then.  I  had 
intended  Henry  Colvin  to  be  my  portion ;  he  is  a  bright 
creature,  and  distracted  me  at  dinner  last  week — but 
I  am  tired,  and  I  always  prefer  you,  G.  Ah !  if  you 
had  only  been  my  son  !" 

"It  would  have  destroyed  the  happiest  of  relation- 
ships in  the  world — and  you  know  it.  A  son  you  could 
overscold — a  mother  I  could  overrespect — Let  us 
thank  Heaven  for  the  charming  courtesy  tie  that  we 
enjoy." 

"I  wish  you  would  have  a  son,  though,  G. ;  you  know* 
I  am  perfectly  indifferent  to  Emmeline's  boy." 

"I  shall  never  have  any  Strobridge  children.  Sera- 
phim. Beatrice  would  faint  at  the  idea.  We  only 
touched  upon  domestic  pretences  and  got  them  all  over 
with  the  very  lightest  effort  in  the  first  week.  Besides, 
one  would  not  want  a  Thorvil  child — there  is  a  mad 
streak  in  the  whole  family,  I  have  often  thought.  I 
am  much  interested  in  heredity." 

125 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

He  did  not  add  how  greatly  the  afternoon  had  aug- 
mented this  interest! 

"Yes — did  you  chance  to  notice  my  secretary's 
hands? — The  mother  must  have  had  a  lover,  of  course." 

"I  don't  think  so — they  seldom  do  in  that  class. 
They  become  so  intolerably  unattractive  at  once ;  noth- 
ing human  could  come  up  to  the  scratch.  It  is  just  a 
freak,  or  a  harking  back — many  of  the  exquisitely  aris- 
tocratic features  one  finds  in  old  villagers,  for  instance, 
date  from  the  droit  de  seigneur" 

"The  whole  question  of  heredity  is  a  frightfully  seri- 
ous one,  of  course,  and  we  are  in  a  stupendous  muddle 
at  the  present  time,  with  the  inroads  of  the  Lord  knows 
who  to  muddy  the  stream." 

"Do  you  suppose  that  is  the  cause  of  the  dry  rot 
which  has  got  into  us.'' — Or  is  it  that  we  are  really  rust- 
ing out.?'* 

"It  is  luxury  and  humanitarianism,  and  absence  of 
national  foes,  which  have  sent  us  to  sleep — and  forget- 
fulness  of  dignity  and  duty.  We  eat  the  food  of  those 
whose  fathers  fed  in  our  fathers'  kitchens,  and  not  be- 
cause they  are  worthy  and  nice — that  would  be  quite 
justifiable  if  so — but  just  because  they  are  rich  and 
have  a  superb  chef,  or  because  they  are  giving  our 
younger  sons  a  lift  in  the  city — I  loathe  all  money- 
making  and  trade — I  am  thankful  that  I,  at  least,  can 
stand  on  my  own  feet,  though  I  see  the  sad  decadence 
in  all  around  me — But  I  must  not  talk  like  this ; 
it  depresses  and  ages  me ! — By  the  way,  Sterling  had 
the  impertinence  to  tell  me  that  she  thought  my  new 
toupees  from  Paris  a  re  too  light ! — What  do  you 
say,  G..?" 

He  looked  at  her  critically,  at  the  clever,  shrewd, 
painted  old  face  and  the  ridiculous  girlish  wig — and 

126 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

then  he  kissed  her  hand  again,  and  told  her  the  truth. 
Something  about  her  words  touched  him  infinitely. 

*'I  adore  very  dark  hair  when  it  is  going  grey, 
Serapliim.  I  have  often  thought  how  beautiful  you 
would  -je  if  you  burnt  all  those  things.  Your  sense  of 
humour  is  so  supreme,  they  always  seem  incongruous.'* 

"I  will,  then,  this  very  New  Year,  while  we  are  at 
Blissington.  It  will  be  the  sensation  when  we  return  to 
town.  Sarah  Lady  Garribardine  with  snow-white  hair  !'* 

"No,  iron  grey.     It  will  make  your  eyes  brighter." 

"It  shall  be  done !"  Then  she  laughed  softly.  "G., 
how  goes  it  with  Lao — you  are  not  in  love.'"' 

Mr.  Strobridge  shook  his  head  regretfully. 

"Alas !  not  an  atom.  I  fear  it  won't  last  until  the 
Easter  recess." 

"She  is  artificial." 

"Extremely." 

"And  hopelessly  vague." 

"Yes — but  quite  charming." 

"Beatrice  says  she  pretends  to  be  full  of  sex  and 
other  dreadful  natural  things — you  always  had  fruity 
tastes,  Beatrice  avers !" 

"My  tastes  are  fruity,  but  are  never  gratified  in  these 
modern  days,  alas !  She  is  quite  wrong  about  Lao, 
though;  she  is  as  cold  as  ice.  She  smiles  with  equal 
sweetness  upon  the  waiters  when  we  are  lunching  at 
restaurants.  She  is  merely  a  lovely  woman  demanding 
incense  from  all  things  male. 

"Beatrice  said  'pretends,'  remember — Beatrice  is  not 
at  all  dense !" 

"No,  quite  a  subtle  companion  when  not  composing 
odes,  or  discussing  the  intensity  of  blue  with  Hebe 
Vermont." 

" — Are  you  glad  Lao  is  coming  for  Christmas.'"' 

127 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

"Y — es.  I  shall  want  some  of  your  very  best  cham- 
pagne." 

"You  shall  have  it,  G.,  and  I  will  try  to  make  things 
difficult  for  you  as  a  sort  of  appetiser.  I  have  some 
kind  of  feeling  that  you  are  depressed,  dear  boy.'' — I 
am  putting  Liio  in  the  parrot  suite." 

"It  will  suit  her  admirably." 

Then  they  both  laughed. 

*'But  you  are  depressed,  G. .''" 

"A  shadow  of  coming  events,  perhaps !  not  exactly 
disaster,  or  I  should  be  what  the  Scotch  call  'fey,'  " 
and  he  sighed.  He  felt  very  fatigued  and  disturbed,  and 
he  hardly  knew  what. 

Lady  Garribardine  did  not  press  the  matter.  She 
had  enormous  tact. 

Mrs.  Delemar  at  that  moment  was  lying  upon  her 
sofa  in  a  ravishing  saffron  gauze  teagown  smoking 
scented  cigarettes,  while  she  discussed  her  heart's 
secrets  with  a  dearest  friend. 

"Gerard  is  madly  in  love  with  me,  Agnes.  I  hardly 
know  what  to  do  about  it.  I  have  chucked  for  to-night 
on  purpose  to  give  him  a  setback." 

"It  will  be  most  cosy  dining  here  alone  with  Bobbie 
!AIoreland  and  Jimmy  and  me.  You  were  quite  right, 
darling." 

"Poor  Bobbie,  back  from  that  horrible  India  where 
he  has  been  for  a  year — of  course,  I  could  not  refuse 
him — But  Lady  Garribardine  is  wild." 

"It  would  not  do  to  offend  her  really,  Lao  sweet. 
You  must  b(?  penitent  and  send  her  some  flowers  to- 
morrow." 

If  Katherine  Bush  had  been  there,  she  would  have 
seen  a  strong  likeness  in  Mrs.  Delemar  to  her  future 

128 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATIIERINE  BUSH 

sister-in-law,  Mabel  Cawber;  her  cigarette  ash  was 
knocked  off  in  almost  as  dainty  a  fashion  as  that  lady 
employed  in  using  her  spoon.  Mrs.  Dclcmar  never 
ceased  remembering  that  she  was  a  beautiful  woman, 
and  must  act  accordingly ;  the  only  difference  between 
them  was  that  Mabel  Cawber  never  forgot  that  she  was 
a  perfect  lady,  and  was  determined  that  no  one  should 
miss  this  fact  if  she  could  help  it.  Their  souls  were 
on  a  par — or  whatever  animating  principle  did  duty  as 
a  soul  in  each. 

Mrs.  Delcmar  returned  to  the  subject  of  Gerard  with 
a  sigh,  telling  her  friend  Agnes  the  most  intimate  things 
he  had  said  to  her  and  giving  her  pleasing  descriptions 
of  her  own  emotions,  too.  Gerard  was  a  feather  for 
any  woman's  cap,  and  Agnes  should  know  how  crazily 
in  love  he  was  with  her. 

"I  think  he'll  do  something  desperate,  darling — if  I 
(don't  give  way  soon — I  wish  men  were  like  us,  don't 

you.?" 

"One  must  please  the  creatures,  or  they  would  not 
stay." 

"Yes — but  oh !  isn't  it  a  shocking  bore — that  part — 
if  they  only  knew !" 

Katherine  Bush,  meanwhile,  was  arriving  at  Labur- 
num Villa,  where  a  crowd  of  sisters  and  friends  wel- 
comed her  home. 

Fresh  from  the  entrancing  fencing  match  with 
Gerard  Strobridge,  their  well-meant  chaff  and  badinage 
sounded  extremely  bald.  But  among  them  poor  Gladys 
was  silent,  and  sat  with  flushed  cheeks  and  overbright 
eyes,  looking  at  Katherine. 

"I  want  to  talk  to  you.  Glad,"  this  latter  said,  kind- 
ly.   "Lady  Garribardine  has  given  me  ten  pounds  to  get 

129 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

a  real  evening  frock  with.  I  must  have  it  to  take  down 
to  Blissington  for  Christmas — we  go  to-morrow  week. 
But  can  I  get  it  in  the  time?" 

Gladys  was  all  interest  at  once.  Clothes  were  a  real 
passion  for  her.  She  devised  something  pretty ;  but 
five  pounds  would  be  quite  enough.  Katherine  had  bet- 
ter have  two  dresses,  a  black  and  that  lovely  new  shade 
of  mauve. 

"I'll  have  the  black,  the  very  simplest  that  there  can 
be,  if  you  know  of  one  of  your  hands  who  could  make 
it  for  me.     I'll  leave  it  entirely  to  you." 

Gladys  was  delighted,  and  then  her  large  prominent 
eyes  grew  haunted  and  wistful. 

"I'd  like  awfully  to  talk  to  j'ou  to-night,  Kitten," 
she  said.     "May  I  come  to  your  room?" 

Permission  was  given,  and  they  all  went  to  supper. 
It  was  exactly  as  Katherine  had  described  it  that  after- 
noon, and  Mr.  Prodgers  was  there  in  his  best  frock 
coat,  more  full  of  what  Miss  Ethel  Bush  called  "swank" 
mixed  with  discomfort  than  Katherine  had  ever  known 
him.  If  she  had  not  felt  so  deeply  that  these  people 
were  her  own  flesh  and  blood,  she  could  have  been 
amused  by  the  whole  thing. 

Nothing  could  equal  the  condescension  of  Miss  Caw- 
ber.  Lady  Garribardine's  name  was  not  entirely  un- 
known to  her — although,  to  be  sure,  it  was  not  in  the 
same  class  as  that  of  the  Duchess  of  Dashington,  Lady 
Hebe  Vermont  or  any  of  the  "smart  set" — but  still  it 
had  chanced  once  now  and  then  to  have  appeared  in 
the  society  column  of  the  Flare,  she  rather  thought  as 
the  patroness  of  some  dull  old  political  thing — and  yes 
— more  recently  in  connection  with  those  tableaux 
vivants,  whicli  Miss  Cawber  was  dying  to  hear  the  de- 
tails of;  perhaps  Katherine  could  gratify  his  need? 

130 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

"Did  Hebe  Vermont  look  a  dream  as  Sicchy  and  Lord 
St.  Aldens  as  Cupid?  My  !  they  must  have  been  a  pair ! 
I  always  do  say  to  Fred  when  we  meet  them  at  church 
parade  of  a  Sunday  that  they  are  the  real  thing." 

Katherine  for  once  took  up  the  gauntlet,  while  one 
of  her  sphinxlike  smiles  hovered  about  her  mouth. 

"Lady  Hebe  Vermont  played  Psyche — if  that  is  who 
you  mean  by  'Sicchy' — but  who  is  Lord  St,  Aldens, 
Mabel?  Mr.  John  St.  Aldens,  who  acted  Cupid,  is  an 
'Honourable' ;  he  is  a  Baron's  son,  his  father  is  Lord 
Hexam." 

Mabel  reddened ;  while  maintaining  for  the  most  part 
a  rather  chilling  silence  with  her,  Katherine  had  never 
before  deliberately  crossed  swords.  She  felt  indignant  I 
A  paid  companion  to  try  to  make  her  look  foolish  be- 
fore the  others !  She  who  had  never  done  a  stroke  of 
work  even  in  a  business  house  in  her  life !  She  would 
have  to  put  this  future  sister-in-law  in  her  place,  and 
no  mistake !  Her  manner  plainly  showed  that  Kah- 
erine  was  in  disgrace,  as  she  answered  loftily: 

"Really,  I  ought  to  know — My  father  was  a  great 
friend  of  his  father,  and  often  went  to  their  place." 

"In  M'hat  capacity,  Mabel?"  Katherine  smiled.  "We 
none  of  us  remember  your  father,  but  Liv  and  Dev 
told  me  once  when  I  asked  them  that  he  had  been  an 
under-clcrk  at  Canford  and  Crin's — the  St.  Alden 
solicitors — and  then  passed  the  examinations.  From 
what  I've  learned  about  his  sort  of  people  by  living 
among  them  for  a  month,  I  don't  expect  Lord  Hexam 
was  very  intimate  with  Mr.  Cawber — but  we  are  all 
acquainted  in  the  same  way,  aren't  we,  Tild?  You  re- 
member hearing  of  this  family  from  mother's  father, 
who  was  their  butcher  for  the  river  house  at  Maiden- 
head." 

181 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

Mabel  glared ;  this  was  sheer  impertinence ;  her  queen- 
ship  of  this  circle  was  not  being  treated  with  proper 
respect — How  vulgar  of  Katharine,  she  thought ! 

Mabel's  refinement  was  almost  of  the  degree  of  the 
Boston  lady  who  insisted  upon  the  piano's  "limbs"  being 
put  into  pantaloons  with  frills.  She  would  hardly  have 
spoken  of  a  butcher !  She  felt  particularly  annoyed 
now  also,  because  the  clerk  episode  was  a  fact  which 
she  thought  was  quite  unknown — the  solicitorship  at 
Bindon's  Green  having  gloriously  advanced  the  family 
fortunes. 

Poor  Matilda  was  quite  upset  and  reproaclied  Kath- 
erine  when  she  succeeded  in  getting  her  into  a  corner 
alone. 

"Whatever  did  you  speak  to  Mabel  like  that  for, 
Kitten? — And  I  am  sure  we  need  not  tell  everyone 
about  Grandpa — since  he  did  not  live  here." 

"Her  nonsense  makes  me  feci  quite  sick,  Tild — she  is 
always  pretending  some  ridiculous  knowledge  and  ac- 
quaintanceship with  the  aristocracy.  She  gets  all  the 
names  wrong,  and  gives  herself  away  all  the  time ;  it 
does  her  good  to  be  found  out  once  in  a  way." 

Matilda  could  bear  this  side  of  the  affair,  but  re- 
sented the  allusion  to  the  butcher  with  undiminished 
fervour. 

"Oh !  what  awful  snobs  you  all  are !"  Katherine  ex- 
claimed, exasperated  out  of  her  amused  tolerance  at 
last.  "I  am  not  the  least  ashamed  of  him;  I  am  proud, 
on  the  contrary.  He  was  honest  and  made  money.  Why 
are  you  and  Mabel  and  all  your  friends  such  absurd 
shams,  Tild ! — There  is  nothing  disgraceful  in  being 
lower  middle  class ;  it  is  honourable  and  worthy.  Why 
on  earth  pretend  to  belong  to  another,  when  anyone 
who  knows  can  see  it  is  untrue — or  if  you  hate  your 

132 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

real  station,  then  do  as  I  am  doing,  educate  yourself 
out  of  it." 

"Educate  myself  out  of  it!"  Matilda  was  incensed. 
**Why,  I'm  sure  we  are  all  as  fairly  educated  as  any 
ladies  need  be." 

This  point  of  view  naturally  ended  the  argument  for 
Katherine;  she  could  only  smile  again. 

*'A11  right — it  is  your  birthday,  dear  old  Tild,  so  I 
won't  quarrel  with  you!  By  the  way,  where  is  Bob 
Hartley?    I  don't  see  him  here  to-night." 

The  fiance  of  Gladys  was  prevented  from  coming  by 
a  severe  cold,  she  was  informed. 

And  so  the  evening  passed  with  the  Bunny  Hug  and 
games,  and  the  gramophone  shouted  forth  its  nigger 
songs,  in  which  they  all  joined. 

"Hasn't  it  been  too  lovely,  Kitten,"  Matilda  said 
affectionately — her  whilom  indignation  fled  as  they 
walked  up  the  narrow  stairs.  "I've  never  had  such  a 
perfect  birthday  party,  and  I  am  sure  you  could  not 
have  had  a  more  refined,  enjoyable  evening,  not  in  any 
home." 

Katherine  kissed  her  as  she  turned  into  her  room. 

"You  dear  old  Tild,"  she  said,  and  then  presently 
Gladys  came  in. 

Katherine  was  seated  in  a  shrunk  dressing-gown 
which  she  had  left  behind,  and  Em'ly  had  lighted  a  fire 
in  the  attic  grate. 

The  two  girls  looked  at  one  another,  and  then  Gladys 
was  asked  to  sit  down. 

"I  know  what  you  are  going  to  say,"  and  Katherine*s 
voice  was  deep  and  level.  "You  would  not  have  to  say 
it  if  you  had  not  always  been  such  a  fool,  my  poor  Glad 
— you  have  got  into  trouble,  of  course,  and  Bob  Hart- 
ley is  not  playing  the  game." 

133 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

Gladys  burst  into  passionate  sobs. 

"However  did  you  guess,  Kitten !  Why,  Tild  doesn't 
know  a  thing!" 

"Most  likely  not —  Well,  what  do  you  want  him  to 
do — marry  you?" 

"Why,  of  course,  Katherine ;  that  is  what  he  prom- 
ised most  solemnly  beforehand — at  Brighton.  You 
know  it  is  his  mother  who  has  kept  him  back ;  his  Aunt 
Eliza,  with  whom  we  stayed,  is  quite  willing  for  me.  I 
am  sure  I'm  as  good  as  him,  anyway." 

Further  sobs. 

"Oh !  that  part  does  not  matter  a  bit,  as  good  or  not 
as  good — these  awful  men  like  Bob  Hartley  always  se- 
duce women  with  promises,  solemn  promises,  of  matri- 
mony and  that  sort  of  stuff;  if  they  meant  them,  they 
would  not  forestall  matters — vile  brutes !" 

"There  is  no  good  in  abusing  Bob,  Kitten;  he  has  al- 
ways meant  kind ;  it  is  his  mother,  I  tell  you,  has  got  at 
him !" 

"Does  she  know?" 

"Oh,  my !  I  hope  not.  No  one  knows  but  you — and 
Bob." 

"Have  you  told  him  he  must  marry  you  at  once?" 

"Yes,  I've  implored  him  to  on  my  bended  knees." 

"And  he  has  refused?" 

"Yes — he  can't  break  his  mother's  heart,  he  says,  and 
speaks  of  going  to  Australia." 

"Very  well — go  to  bed  now,  dear — I  will  see  him  to- 
morrow and  see  what  I  can  do.  I  think  he  will  marry 
you  next  week,  perhaps,  after  all.  You  must  under- 
take the  inventing  of  a  reason  for  the  suddenness  to  the 
family,  if  I  accomplish  the  fact.  Go  now,  dear — I  want 
to  think." 

Gladys  sobbed  her  gratitude. 
134f 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATITERINE  BUSH 

"And  you  don't  believe  I  am  really  bad,  Kitten,  do 
you?  Indeed,  I  never  wanted — anything" — but  Bob — 
We  went  to  the  theatre  one  night  and  had  a  bit  of  sup- 
per— and  afterwards,  I  was  so  afraid  he  would  be  off  to 
Carry  Green  if  I  did  not  do  as  he  wished." 

Two  great  tears  grew  in  Katherine's  beautiful  eyes, 
and  rolled  slowly  down  her  white  cheeks. 

*'I  think — most  men  are  devils,  Glad — but  nine-tenths 
of  the  women  are  fools — and  fools  always  have  to  pay 
the  price  of  everything  in  life.  A  woman  always  loses 
a  man  if  she  gives  way  to  him  against  her  conscience. 
You  felt  you  were  sinning  all  the  time,  I  suppose.'"' 

*'Why,  of  course,  Kitten — I'm  really  a  good  girl." 

*'Then  what  else  could  you  expect?  If  you  feel  you 
are  doing  wrong,  you  must  know  you  will  be  punished — • 
that  attitude  of  yours  was  bound  to  have  drawn — this. 
I  tell  you.  Glad,  no  one  of  your  sort  can  afford  to  step 
one  foot  aside  out  of  the  narrow  path.  You've  'sinned,' 
as  you  call  it — for  love.  It  gave  you  no  pleasure  and 
you  have  practically  lost  Bob — remember  this,  and 
never  give  way  to  him  in  anything  again." 

*'Why  did  you  have  the  tears  in  your  eyes,  Kather- 
ine — ?    You  so  cold!" 

"It  was  stupid  of  me,  but  the  incredible  pltifulness 
of  some  parts  of  life  touched  me  for  a  moment.  Now 
go  to  bed,  dear — and  keep  your  courage  up — don't  let 
Tild  know;  it  would  break  her  heart — and  think  of 
Mabel !" 

"Oh!  My!"  wailed  Gladys,  and  went  towards  the 
door. 

Katherine  jumped  up  suddenl}^,  and  gave  her  the  ten- 
pound  note  which  had  been  lying  under  a  box  of  matches 
on  the  imitation  oak  dressinff-chest. 

"Here,  Gladys,  get  the  little  black  frock  for  me  just 
135 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

as  cheaply  as  ever  you  can.  Lady  Garribardine  will 
never  know  what  it  cost ;  she  is  accustomed  to  pay  forty 
or  fifty  pounds  for  her  evening  dresses — and  you  keep 
all  the  rest.  If — if — Bob  should  not  be  reasonable  to- 
morrow, it  might  be  useful  for  you  to  have  some  money 
that  you  need  not  account  to  Tild  for — I  know  she  looks 
after  everything  that  you  have  got." 

"But  you  will  make  him,  Katherine,  oh!  you  will  if 
you  can — you  are  so  clever — and  he'll  be  in  the  train 
if  you  go  by  the  early  one.    You'll  have  him  alone." 

"Very  well.  Bring  me  up  a  slice  of  bread  or  anything 
jou  can  find  when  you  first  go  down ;  I  can't  stand  the 
family  breakfast,  and  I  will  just  rush  off  by  the  eight- 
five." 

What  she  said  to  Mr.  Bob  Hartley  she  never  told 
anyone — but  it  was  extraordinarily  effectual — it  con- 
tained biting  scorn  and  heavy  threats.  Among  them, 
his  chief  should  know  of  his  conduct  that  very  day, 
before  he  could  possibly  sneak  off  to  Australia,  unless  he 
went  and  got  a  special  license.  The  Registry  Office 
would  do  very  well,  but  by  the  following  Wednesday 
Gladys  must  be  his  wife,  or  Katherine's  scorpion  whip 
would  fall.  He  should  be  thrashed  by  Fred  and  Bert 
and  Charlie  Prodgers,  too!  She  would  have  no  mercy 
upon  him — none  at  all. 

"You  poor,  mean,  sanctimonious,  miserable  cur," 
•were  some  of  her  parting  words  to  him.  "Come  into  this 
telegraph  office  with  me  and  send  this  wire  to  Gladys 
this  minute.  'Will  you  honour  me  by  marrying  me  on 
Tuesday?  If  so,  get  ready.'  You  can  pretend  you 
had  a  secret  wedding  to  save  expense,  and  tell  them  at 
home  on  Christmas  day." 

Mr.  Hartley  was  a  thorough  coward ;  his  plans  were 
■ot  matured  enough  yet  to  go  to  Australia,  and  his 

136 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

present  berth  was  a  good  one,  so  he  felt  it  was  wiser 
to  give  in  and  do  what  he  was  bid.  And  presently  Kath- 
erine  got  into  a  taxi  and  was  whirled  back  to  Berkeley 
Square,  where  later  in  the  day  her  sister's  telegram  of 
rapturous  thanks  came  to  her. 

But  when  she  was  alone  that  night  by  her  comfort- 
able fire,  she  let  a  volume  of  Flaubert  drop  on  her  knees 
and  looked  into  the  coals,  her  thoughts  going  back  to 
the  painful  incident.  Here  was  a  plain  indication  of 
the  working  of  laws  shown  in  her  own  case  and  the  dif- 
ference between  it  and  that  of  Gladys.  Alas !  the  pite- 
ous fate  of  weaklings ! 

And  then  she  set  herself  to  analyse  things.  "Whether 
the  accepted  idea  of  morality  is  right  or  is  wrong — of 
God  or  of  man,  those  who  break  its  laws  are  certainly 
drawing  to  themselves  the  frightfully  strong  current  of 
millions  of  people's  disapproval  and  so  must  run  great 
risk  of  punishment."  Thus  she  mused  and  then  her  eyes 
grew  wide  as  she  gazed  into  the  glowing  coals.  What 
if  some  day  she  should  have  to  pay  some  price  for  her 
own  deviation  from  recognized  standards  .f* 


CHAPTER  XII 

CHRISTMAS  Day  fell  upon  a  Tuesday  m  1911, 
and  on  the  Saturday  before  Katherine  Bush  ac- 
companied her  employer,  and  the  two  dogs, 
down  to  Blisslngton  in  the  motor.  She  had  only  been 
in  one  for  short  drives  in  the  Bois  with  Lord  Algy,  so 
to  tear  through  the  frozen  country  was  a  great  joy  to 
her,  although,  not  possessing  proper  wraps,  she  was 
rather  cold. 

"You  must  have  a  fur  coat.  Miss  Bush!  I  am  greatly 
annoyed  that  I  did  not  remark  that  you  were  insuffi- 
ciently clad  before  we  started.  Here,  crouch  down  un- 
der this  rug — and  there  is  an  extra  one  at  my  feet  you 
must  wrap  round  you." 

Katherine  was  grateful. 

"Stirling  must  find  you  some  warm  garment  of  mine 
while  we  are  at  Blissington.  I  have  no  patience  with 
idiots  who  deliberately  take  cold." 

Katherine  agreed  with  her. 

*'Do  you  know  the  English  country,  or  are  you  quite 
a  cockney  girl.'*"  she  was  then  asked. 

"No,  I  hardly  know  it  at  all.  I  know  Brighton,  and 
a  lot  of  seaside  places,  but  we  never  chanced  to  go  to 
the  country  for  our  holidays." 

"It  is  a  wonderful  place,  the  English  country,  the 
most  beautiful  in  the  world,  I  think ;  it  will  interest  me 
immensely  to  hear  your  impressions  of  it;  after  a  week 
you  must  tell  me." 

"I  shall  be  very  pleased  to  do  so." 
138 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

"We  pass  Windsor ;  you  must  go  over  it  some  day — 
it  is  only  twenty  miles  from  Blissington —  Are  you  in- 
terested in  historical  associations?" 

"Extremely — any  places  which  are  saturated  with 
the  evolution  of  man  and  nations  are  interesting,  I 
think.  I  am  afraid  I  would  not  care  to  go  to  Australia, 
or  a  new  country." 

Lady  Garribardine  turned  and  looked  at  her  secre- 
tary. The  creature  evidently  had  a  brain,  and  this 
would  be  a  good  opportunitj'^  to  draw  her  out. 

"You  feel  the  force  of  tradition,  then.'^" 

"Oh,  yes — in  everything.  It  acts  for  generations  in 
the  blood — it  makes  people  do  all  sorts  of  things,  good 
and  bad,  quite  without  reason." 

Lady  Garribardine  chuckled — she  loved  discussions. 

"How  does  it  act  in  yourself,  for  instance.'^" 

"I  have  tried  to  stop  its  action  in  myself,  because  I 
saw  the  effects  of  the  traditions  of  my  class  in  my 
brothers  and  sisters,  and  how  stultifying  it  was." 

"You  certainly  seem  to  have  emerged  from  them  in 
an  extraordinary  manner — how  did  you  set  about  it.'"' 

Katherine  thought  a  little  and  then  answered  dehb- 
erately. 

"I  always  wanted  to  know  the  reason  why  of  every- 
thing and  I  soon  felt  sure  that  there  was  no  such  thing 
as  chance,  but  that  everything  which  happened  was  part 
of  some  scheme — and  I  always  desired  to  be  able  to  dis- 
tinguish between  appearance  and  reality,  and  I  got  to 
understand  that  personal  emotion  distorts  all  reality 
and  creates  appearance,  and  so  I  began  to  try  to  disso- 
ciate things  from  personal  emotion  in  my  judgments 
of  them." 

"Yes,  but  how  about  tradition?" 

"Tradition  suggested  certain  views  and  actions  to 
139 


THE  CAIiEEE  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 


me — but  looked  at  without  emotion,  I  saw  that  they 
were  foolish.  I  analysed  my  brothers'  and  sisters'  ideas 
and  instincts  because  I  wanted  to  see  if  what  I  did  not 
like  in  them  was  inevitable  in  myself  too  from  the  force 
of  tradition  or  if  there  was  any  way  to  get  rid  of  stu- 
pidities." 

"And  you  found?" 

"Of  course,  tliat  everything,  even  instincts,  can  be 
eradicated  if  only  their  origins  can  be  traced  and  the 
will  is  strong  enough  to  overcome  them." 

"Yes,  everything  depends  upon  will.  And  you  found 
time  for  all  this  reasoning  while  you  kept  the  accounts 
at  the  pork-butcher's.?" 

Lady  Garribardine's  eyebrows  ran  quizzically  up  into 
her  forehead,  and  there  was  a  twinkle  in  her  eye.  She 
was  greatly  amused. 

"Yes — in  the  evenings." 

"No  wonder  you  have  emerged!  You  do  not  allow 
yourself  to  have  any  emotions  then.'"' 

Katherine  looked  away  demurely. 

"I  try  not  to  indulge  in  them ;  it  is  more  prudent  to 
watch  their  action  in  others." 

"Have  you  ever  been  in  love,  child.'"' 

"It  depends  upon  what  one  calls  love."  The  tone  was 
dignified.  Katherine  did  not  think  this  quite  a  fair 
question. 

Lady  Garribardine  laughed  appreciatively. 

"You  are  quite  right.  I  should  not  have  asked  you 
that,  since  we  were  up  upon  a  plane  of  discussion  in 
which  even  women  do  not  lie  to  one  another !" 

"If  Your  Ladyship  will  permit  me  to  say  so,  women 
have  very  little  notion  of  truth,  I  think !" 

"Oh !  that  is  too  bad.  You  must  always  stand  up  for 
jour  sex." 

140 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

"Forgive  mc  for  differing,  but  I  should  be  acting  from 
good  nature  in  that  case,  not  from  justice." 

Lady  Garribardine  was  delighted. 

"So  you  think  we  are  not  truthful  as  a  company?" 

"Oh,  no,  we  have  no  love  of  abstract  truth,  truth  for 
itself.  When  we  are  truthful  in  our  general  dealings 
with  people,  it  is  either  because  we  have  decent  charac- 
ters or  religious  views,  or  for  our  ovm  ends,  not  from 
a  detached  love  of  truth." 

"What  a  cynic!    And  how  about  men.?" 

"A  man  is  truthful  because  he  likes  truth,  and  to  tell 
lies  he  feels  would  degrade  himself." 

"And  yet  men  always  lie  to  women — have  you  re- 
marked that,  girl?" 

"Yes — that  seems  to  be  the  one  exception  in  their 
standard  of  truth." 

*'How  do  you  account  for  this  ?  Have  you  found  the 
'reason  why'  of  this  peculiarity?" 

"It  seems  presumptuous  of  me  to  give  my  views  to 
Your  Ladyship." 

"I  think  I  am  the  best  judge  of  that  matter,"  and 
Lady  Garribardine  frowned  a  little.  "I  asked  a  ques- 
tion." 

Katherine  answered  then  immediately.  She  was  not 
quite  pleased  with  herself  for  her  last  remark,  it  had 
laid  her  open  to  a  snub. 

"Original  man  had  no  regard  for  women — they  were 
as  the  animals  to  him — he  would  not  have  felt  degraded 
in  lying  to  animals — because  such  a  thing  could  not  oc- 
cur. He  would  not  consult  animals — he  simply  ordered 
them." 

"Well?" 

"Then  as  soon  as  he  had  to  consider  women  at  .11  he 
found  it  easier  to  lie  to  them  because  of  their  want  of 

141 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

understanding,  and  chattering  tongues,  and  as  he  did 
not  consider  that  they  were  his  equals  in  anything,  no 
degradation  was  entailed  in  making  things  easy  for  him- 
self with  them,  by  lying  to  them." 

"How  ingenuous !" 

"That  is  how  it  seems  to  me,  and  so  things  have  gone 
on — tradition  and  instinct  again !  Until  even  now  when 
man  is  forced  to  consider  women,  the  original  instinct  is 
still  there  making  him  feel  that  it  does  not  matter  lying 
to  them." 

"I  believe  you  are  right.  You  are  not  a  suffragette  ?" 

"Oh,  no !  I  like  women  to  advance  in  everything,  but 
unless  you  could  destroy  their  dramatic  instinct,  and 
hysteria,  I  think  it  would  be  a  pity  for  a  country  if  they 
had  votes." 

**You  despise  women  and  respect  men,  then?" 

"Not  at  all ;  it  would  be  like  despising  bread  and  re- 
specting water.     I  only  despise  weakness  in  either  sex." 

"Well,  Miss  Bush,  I  think  you  have  a  wonderfully- 
stored  mind.  I  don't  feel  that  ninety  pounds  a  year  and 
drudgery  is  the  right  thing  for  you.  What  is  to  be 
done?" 

Katherine  gave  one  of  her  rare  soft  laughs. 

"Believe  mc,  madam,  the  lessons  I  am  learning  in 
Your  Ladyship's  service  are  worth  more  to  me  than  my 
salary.     I  am  quite  contented  and  enjoy  my  drudgery." 

"So  you  are  learning  lessons — are  you!"  Lady  Gar- 
ribardine  chuckled  again.  "Of  the  world,  the  flesh  or 
the  devil?" 

"A  little  of  all  three,  perhaps,"  Katherine  ansv/ered 
with  shy  demureness. 

"Look  here,  young  woman,  I  have  remarked  more 
than  ,  nee  that  you  possess  a  quality — almost  unknown 
in  ninety-nine  females  out  of  a  hundred,  and  non-exist- 

142 


THE  CABEER  OF  KATIIERINE  BUSH 

ent  in  the  middle  classes — a  fine  sense  of  humour.  It  is 
quite  out  of  place — and  like  the  royal  rose  imprinted 
upon  the  real  queen's  left  shoulder,  I  expect  we  shall 
discover  presently  that  the  butcher  and  baker  forebears 
are  all  moonshine,  and  that  you  are  a  princess  in  dis- 
guise.— See,  that  is  Windsor — isn't  it  fine?" 

"Ah !  Yes  !"  cried  Katherine.     "It  makes  one  think." 

They  were  rushing  along  the  road  from  Staines  where 
they  could  see  the  splendid  pile  standing  out  against  the 
sky. 

"All  those  old  grey  stones  put  together  by  brutes 
and  fools  and  brains  and  force.  I  will  take  you  there 
myself  some  day." 

"I  shall  love  to  go." 

Then  Her  Ladyship  became  quite  silent  as  was  her 
custom  when  she  felt  inclined  so  to  be.  The  obligation 
to  make  conversation  never  weighed  upon  her.  This 
made  her  a  delightful  companion.  They  arrived  at  the 
park  gates  of  Blissington  Court  about  one  o'clock,  and 
Katherine  Bush  felt  again  a  delightful  excitement.  She 
had  never  seen  a  big  English  country  home  except  in 
pictures. 

The  lodge-keeper  came  out.  He  was  an  old  man  in 
a  quaint  livery. 

"I  cannot  stand  the  untidy  females  escaping  from 
the  washtub  who  attend  to  most  people's  gates.  This 
family  of  Peterson  have  opened  those  of  Blissington  for 
two  hundred  years,  and  have  always  worn  the  same  sort 
of  livery,  from  father  to  son.  Their  intelligence  is  at 
the  lowest  ebb,  and  they  make  capital  gate-keepers. 
There  is  generally  a  'simple'  boy  or  two  to  carry  on  the 
business.  The  women  folk  keep  out  of  sight,  it  is  a  tra- 
dition in  the  family — they  take  a  pride  in  it.  I  give 
them  unusually  high  wages,  and  whatever  else  grows 

143 


THE  CABEER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

more  and  more  idiotic,  the  gate-keeping  instinct  sur- 
vives in  full  force.  There  are  three  lodges — all  kept  bj 
Petersons." 

"How  wonderful,"  said  Katherine. 

"Good  day,  Jacob! — The  family  well?  Jane  quite  re- 
covered from  the  chicken-pox,  eh?" 

"Quite  well.  Your  Ladyship,"  and  the  old  man's  wan- 
dering eyes  were  fixed  in  adoration  upon  his  mistress's 
face.  "And  Your  Ladyship's  godchild,  Sarah,  is  grow- 
ing that  knowing  my  daughter  can  hardly  keep  her 
from  the  front  garden." 

"I  am  delighted  to  hear  it.  I  shall  be  stopping  in  to 
see  you  to-morrow,  tell  Mrs.  Peterson.  This  is  my  ne"W 
secretary,  Miss  Bush,  Jacob — you  will  know  her  again, 
won't  you?" 

"I'll  try  to.  Your  Ladyship,"  a  little  doubtfully,  and 
he  bowed  deeply  as  the  motor  rolled  on  along  a  beauti- 
ful drive  through  the  vast  park,  with  its  groups  of 
graceful  deer  peering  at  them  from  under  the  giant 
trees. 

Katherine  was  taking  in  the  whole  scene,  the  winter 
day,  and  the  brown  earth,  and  the  blue  sky,  and  the 
beauty  of  it  all! 

Yes — this  sort  of  thing  was  what  must  be  hers  some 
day  when  she  had  fitted  herself  to  possess  it.  They  came 
to  another  gate — and  yet  another — iron  ones  with  no 
lodges,  and  then  they  swept  through  a  wide  avenue  with 
sprucely  kept  edges  and  so  on  up  to  tlie  front  door. 

It  was  a  long  irregular  building  which  Katherine  saw, 
principally  built  in  the  middle  of  the  seventeenth  cen- 
tury, and  added  to  from  time  to  time.  It  was  very  pic- 
turesque, and  when  they  were  inside,  the  hall  proved  to 
be  very  fine.  It  was  huge  and  square  and  panelled  with 
some  good  Grinling  Gibbons  carving,  and  quantities  of 

144 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

indifFcrentlj  painted  ancestors,  for  the  most  part  in 
stiff  peers'  robes. — They  had  been  a  distinguished  crew, 
not  of  the  fox-hunting  type. 

"These  are  my  people,  Miss  Bush,  not  Garribar- 
dines,"  Her  Ladyship  said,  pointing  to  the  portraits. 
"They  were  not  handsome,  as  you  see,  and  evidently 
did  not  encourage  the  best  artists — the  few  who  did  are 
in  the  other  rooms  and  the  picture  gallery.  Come,  we 
will  go  straight  in  to  lunch ;  I  am  as  hungry  as  a  school- 
boy— You  will  lunch  with  me." 

Bronson  had  gone  down  much  earlier  and  was  await- 
ing them  with  two  footmen,  as  dignified  as  usual. 

The  dining-room  was  in  a  panelled  passage  to  the 
right  and  was  a  long,  low  room  of  much  earlier  date. 

"A  relic  incorporated  later  in  the  present  structure," 
Katherine  was  told. 

It  was  perfectly  beautiful,  she  thought,  with  its  deep 
brown  oak,  wax  polished  to  the  highest  lustre,  and  its 
curtains  of  splendid  Venetian  velvet  in  faded  crimson 
and  green,  on  a  white  satin  ground  all  harmonious  with 
age  and  mellowing. 

"I  had  a  terrible  struggle  to  oust  the  Victorian  hor- 
rors I  had  been  brought  up  with,  and  which  had  insinu- 
ated themselves,  as  all  vulgar  things  do,  into  almost 
every  room  among  their  betters — taste  was  quite  dead 
sixty  years  ago  in  my  father's  day.  I  had  to  combat 
sentiment  in  myself  and  ruthlessly  condemn  the  whole 
lot." 

"It  is  most  beautiful."  Katherine's  admiration  was 
indeed  sincere. 

"Yes — it  has  been  a  great  pleasure  to  me  getting  it 
perfect.  You  shall  see  the  whole  house  presently',  but 
now  food  is  the  only  im.portant  matter. — Bronson — I 
distrust  the  look  of  that  ham  soufHe — are  you  sure  it 

145 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

has  not  been  kept  waiting?  A  second  or  two  alters  its 
consistency.  Take  it  away  at  once,  man!" — with  an 
indignant  sniff — "and  tell  Fran9ois  never  to  hazard  so 
precarious  a  dish  again  for  arrivals  by  motor!" 

"Very  good,  Your  Ladyship." 

*'One  can  eat  bread  and  cheese,  but  one  cannot  stom- 
ach an  indifferent  souffle — it  is  like  an  emotional  woman, 
its  charm  is  just  as  capricious  and  just  as  ephemeral!" 

The  rest  of  the  lunch  was  to  her  taste  and  no  further 
(disapproval  was  expressed. 

It  was  the  first  time  Katherine  had  broken  bread  with 
her  mistress,  or  indeed  had  even  assisted  at  a  whole 
luncheon.  Coffee  was  the  extent  of  her  knowledge  hith- 
erto. It  interested  her  to  see  the  varied  dishes,  to  watch 
the  perfect  service,  the  style  of  the  placing  and  remov- 
ing of  the  plates — the  rapidity  and  noiselessness  of  it 
all.  She  thought  of  the  pressed  beef  and  the  stout  and 
the  cheese-cakes  and  the  frightful  untidiness  of  every- 
thing at  Laburnum  Villa.  That  was  the  strange  differ- 
ence, the  utter  want  of  method  and  order  which  al- 
•ways  rendered  the  home  table  a  mass  of  litter  and  mis- 
cellaneous implements  towards  the  end  of  a  repast, 
plates  and  cups  pushed  here  and  there  and  everywhere. 

How  very  good  to  be  out  of  it  all ! 

To  her  great  surprise.  Her  Ladyship  drank  beer — 
clear  golden  stuff  poured  from  a  lovely  crystal  and 
silver  jug  into  a  cliased  silver  tankard. 

"The  best  beverage  in  Christendom!"  that  epicure 
said,  as  she  quaffed  it.  "Have  some,  Miss  Bush.  You 
are  young  enough  to  have  no  dread  of  gout.  It  is  a  vice 
with  me,  the  worst  thing  in  the  world  for  my  rheuma- 
tism, and  yet  I  cannot  resist  tlie  temptation!  The  day 
I  return  home  I  must  fall  to  my  tankard!  To-morrow, 
Bronson  removes  the  accursed  thing  to  the  sideboard, 

146 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

out  of  sight,  and  I  keep  up  my  courage  on  ridiculously 
thin  Zcltingcr." 

Ivatherine  tasted  it ;  it  was  delicious,  and  as  different 
from  what  she  knew  as  beer  as  the  tea  had  been  from 
her  original  idea  of  tea. 

"Isn't  it  a  heavenly  drink,  girl !  I  am  glad  to  see  you 
like  it." 

Then  Lady  Garribardine  chatted  on,  giving  crisp, 
witty  descriptions  of  the  village  and  the  inhabitants, 
in  language  which  would  often  have  shocked  the  gen- 
teel sensibilities  of  Mabel  Cawber,  but  the  tones  of  her 
voice,  whether  loud  or  soft,  were  the  dulcet  tones  of 
angels.  She  had  indeed  that  "excellent  thing  in 
woman." 

Katherine's  workroom  was  the  old  schoolroom  up  in  a 
wing  which  contained  rooms  as  ancient  as  the  dining- 
room,  and  her  bedroom  adjoined  it;  and  from  this  a 
little  passage  led  to  a  narrow  staircase  going  down  to 
a  door  which  opened  into  the  small  enclosed  rose  gar- 
den. Up  another  set  of  steps  from  her  corridor  you 
were  brought  into  the  splendid  gallery  which  ran  round 
two  sides  of  the  hall,  and  into  which  Her  Ladyship's 
own  rooms  gave.  But  in  Katherine's  corner  she  was 
isolated  and  could  come  and  go  abroad  without  ever 
passing  the  general  living  rooms — what  an  advantage, 
she  felt ! 

And  when,  later  in  the  afternoon,  her  things  were  un- 
packed, and  she  was  sitting  before  a  glorious  wood  fire 
in  the  old  chimney,  sniffing  the  scent  of  the  burning 
logs  aijd  taking  in  the  whole  picture  of  quaint  chintz 
and  shining  oak,  she  felt  a  sense  of  contentment  and 
satisfaction. 

Fate  was  indeed  treating  her  handsomely. 


CHAPTER  XIII 

KA-THERINE  saw  nothing  more  of  her  employer 
on  the  Saturday,  but  on  the  Sunday  morning  a 
message  came  to  say  she  would  expect  her  to  go 
to  church  with  her.  As  no  mention  of  church  had  ever 
been  made  in  London,  Katherine  was  quite  unprepared 
for  this,  and  was  obliged  to  scurry  to  be  ready. 

"In  the  country  and  at  one's  home,  one  must  always 
go  to  church.  Miss  Bush,"  she  was  informed  when  they 
were  in  the  motor.    "It  is  tradition  again." 

Then  there  was  silence  until  they  were  almost  at  the 
door. 

"It  is  rather  a  fine  little  church,  with  some  good 
tombs  of  my  ancestors  in  it,  prolific  people  who  seemed 
to  have  married  either  widows  with  like  proclivities,  or 
to  have  commemorated  their  own  marital  achievements. 
— There  arc  two  very  curious  monuments,  one  of  a  mar- 
riage with  about  seven  or  eight  children  behind  both  the 
man  and  the  woman,  proofs  of  their  former  activities, 
and  another  of  a  second  pair  with  numerous  olive 
branches  owned  mutually.  They  were  of  an  enchanting 
ingenuousness  in  those  days.  You  will  face  these  figures 
during  the  sermon.  You  can  examine  them,  a  not  un- 
pleasing  pastime  I  used  to  find  it  in  my  youth." 

Lady  Garribardinc's  walk  from  the  church  was  a 
kind  of  triumphal  progress.  All  the  faces  of  the  clus- 
tering local  groups  beamed  with  joy  and  welcome  for 
her — she  had  a  word  and  a  nod  for  everyone  and  to 
Ivatherine's  amusement  stopped  threateningly  in  front 

148 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

of  a  biggish  boy  wlio  was  handling  a  bandanna  hand- 
kerchief. 

"If  I  hear  one  sniffle,  Thomas  Knoughton — out  you 
go ! — It  is  a  habit  you  have  got  into,  flaunting  these 
colds  every  time  I  get  home.     I  won't  put  up  with  it!" 

"Very  good,  Yer  Leddyship,"  the  boy  returned 
stolidly,  pulling  his  forelock. 

It  was  evident  to  be  seen  that  their  Lady  Bountiful 
was  held  in  deep  respect  by  her  tenants.  The  service 
was  quite  cheerful  and  merry  with  Christmas  music 
from  a  fine  organ,  one  of  the  patroness's  gifts,  and  the 
monuments  were  certainly  diverting,  Henry  VII  and  Ed- 
ward VI  costumes  carved  in  stone  adorning  meek-faced 
women  and  grave  men. 

When  they  came  out,  a  number  of  the  local  farmers 
and  their  wives  had  to  be  greeted.  Lady  Garribardine 
seemed  to  know  all  their  domestic  affairs,  and  to  wield 
an  absolute  dominion  over  them.  She  was  kindly  and 
autocratic,  and  not  in  the  least  condescending;  they 
eridently  loved  her  dearly. 

Katherine  stood  by  respectfully,  and  once  or  twice 
her  mistress  said,  "This  is  my  new  secretary,  Miss 
Bush,"  with  a  wave  of  her  hand. 

Apparently  the  bounties  and  teas  and  Christmas 
feasting  being  prepared  for  everyone  knew  no  bounds 
by  what  Katherine  heard  discussed. 

As  they  motored  back  Her  Ladyship  said: 

"Now,  before  lunch  I  want  you  for  an  hour  to  ex- 
plain the  country  duties  to  you  as  I  explained  the  Lon- 
don ones — and  this  afternoon  you  must  see  over  the 
house.  Mrs.  Illingworth  will  show  you  round,  and  to- 
morrow I  have  to  start  very  early  to  see  my  poor 
people — You  have  those  lists  copied  out,  have  you 
not.?" 

149 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

Katherlne  lunched  alone  in  her  sitting-room  and  be- 
fore her  inspection  of  the  house  began  she  went  for  a 
little  walk.  The  old  park  delighted  her,  the  sense  that 
it  was  not  public  property  gave  her  pleasure.  She  could 
go  for  miles,  it  seemed,  upon  the  soft  turf,  or  along  the 
smooth  avenues,  without  meeting  a  soul.  There  was 
something  in  her  nature  which  enjoyed  this  isolation 
from  the  common  herd. 

"I  believe  if  it  were  mine  I  should  dislike  even  a  right 
of  way !"  she  said  to  herself. 

She  stopped  close  to  some  deer ;  they  were  so  tame 
they  hardly  started  from  her.  The  whole  place,  when 
she  came  to  a  rising  ground  and  could  look  back  at  the 
house,  exalted  her  in  some  strange  way.  The  atmos- 
phere of  it  was  so  different  from  anything  which  she 
had  been  accustomed  to.  It  was  no  wonder  that  people 
living  in  such  houses  should  have  wider  scopes  of  imag- 
ination than  the  inhabitants  of  Bindon's  Green  with 
every  little  semi-detached  villa  watcliing  the  habits  of 
its  neiglibour.  She  made  up  her  mind  that  she  would 
study  Lady  Garribardinc's  methods  with  her  people  for 
her  own  future  guidance.  The  perfect  certainty  with 
which  she  looked  forward  to  obtaining  the  same  sort  of 
situation  was  almost  sublime ! 

When  her  inspection  of  the  house  came  her  feelings 
were  further  stirred ;  there  was  a  great  bump  of  vener- 
ation in  her  for  ancient  things.  Her  artistic  sensibili- 
ties which  had  not  yet  been  as  awakened  as  her  prac- 
tical ones  now  began  to  assert  themselves.  She  felt  she 
must  read  books  upon  architecture,  and  learn  the  dates 
and  styles  of  furniture.  She  admired,  but  she  was  con- 
scious that  she  had  not  yet  sufficiently  cultivated  criti- 
cal faculties  to  appreciate  fully.  Her  tour  opened  a 
new  field  of  study  for  her — a  new  consciousness  of  her 

150 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATIIERINE  BUSH 

own  ignorance,  and  a  new  determination  to  acquire  the 
necessary  knowledge  on  these  points. 

Ever  since  her  outing  with  Lord  Algy,  she  had  been 
aware  that  mere  book-learning  is  not  enough.  There 
were  many  things  of  interest  in  life  tliat  she  would  never 
have  heard  of  or  realised  the  existence  of  but  for  that 
first  opening  to  her  imagination. 

Mr,  Strobridge  would  be  an  invaluable  teacher,  but 
she  must  get  up  a  few  technical  points  first.  She  would 
at  once  ask  her  mistress  if  she  might  take  some  books 
from  the  library,  up  to  her  sitting-room  for  the  even- 
ing. She  would  immediately  look  up  the  bald  facts  in 
the  Encyclopedia  to  begin  with,  and  then  study  individ- 
ual volumes.  Then  there  were  the  painters  and  the 
sculptors  to  learn  about  more  fully,  although  she  had 
often  gone  to  the  galleries  and  museums  in  London,  but 
not  with  what — she  now  knew,  after  her  inspection  of 
this  home  where  for  hundreds  of  3^ears  the  owners  had 
been  cultivated  collectors — was  a  critical  eye.  She  felt 
as  if  the  key  to  understanding  had  only  just  been  given 
to  her.  Even  the  housekeeper  (not  Mrs.  Pepperdon 
of  Berkeley  Square,  but  this  elderly,  portly  Mrs.  Illing- 
worth)  knew  m.ore  about  the  beauties  that  she  was  show- 
ing off  than  she  did.  This  state  of  ignorance  must  not 
continue  for  even  a  week ! 

Permission  was  accorded  about  the  books  when  Lady 
Garribardine  looked  into  the  secretary's  room  before 
her  tea — and  until  three  o'clock  in  the  morning  this  in- 
defatigable young  woman  kept  her  lights  on,  cramming 
facts  into  her  head — and  then  when  her  work  was  over 
before  lunch  next  day  she  walked  again  through  the 
picture  galler}-  and  the  big  drawing-rooms  to  see  if  she 
had  mastered  anything.  The  picture  gallery  was  filled 
with  early  and  late  Italian  works,  and  some  fine  speci- 

151 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

mens  of  Spanish  Renaissance  as  well  as  English  por- 
traits. She  found  that  with  even  this  much  knowledge 
gained  she  had  already  grown  more  appreciative,  but 
she  realised  that  it  was  a  question  of  training  her  eye 
as  well  as  her  brain. 

The  guests  were  all  to  arrive  on  Christmas  Eve  and  a 
messacre  came  for  Katherine  that  she  was  to  come  down 
and  pour  out  the  tea  for  them,  because  "Her  Ladyship's 
hand  was  very  rheumatic." 

She  had  been  extremely  occupied  with  the  dispatching 
of  parcels  of  presents  and  various  matters  all  the  after- 
noon. This  would  be  an  occasion  to  wear  the  grey 
blouse  again,  and  she  had  discovered  that  the  becoming 
waves  upon  her  brow  could  be  achieved  also  by  water 
and  combing,  so  she  would  not  be  at  the  mercy  of  a  hair- 
dresser in  the  future  for  her  Improved  looks ! 

She  was  seated  behind  tlie  tea-table  in  the  library 
when  the  first  batch  of  the  visitors  arrived  by  train. 
Mr.  Strobridge  and  Lady  Beatrice  were  motoring;  the 
three  grandchildren  and  their  attendants  had  come 
early  in  the  afternoon. 

The  party  consisted  of  the  two  old  maiden  cousins, 
the  Misses  d'Estaire  by  name,  and  a  young  niece  of 
theirs,  and  two  or  three  stray  men,  and  Mrs.  Delemar. 
Katherine  attended  to  their  wants  and  watched  the 
whole  scene — no  one  had  greeted  her,  but  whoever 
chanced  to  be  near  her  exchanged  a  friendly  word; 
Mrs.  Delemar  was  even  gracious,  it  was  her  way  always 
to  be  polite  to  everyone. 

How  easy  they  all  were !  No  stiffness,  no  self-con- 
sciousness, and  one  of  the  men  was  quite  witty  and  the 
young  Miss  d'Estaire  a  most  lively  modern  girl.  Kath- 
erine enjoyed  herself  although  she  never  spoke  unless 
spoken  to,  and  then  returned  monosyllabic  answers. 

153 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

When  thej  had  all  been  chaffing  and  eating  quanti- 
ties of  muffins  and  buns  and  blackberry  jam  and  cream 
for  half  an  hour,  Gerard  Strobridgc  and  his  wife  came 
in. 

"We  have  had  the  most  deplorable  journey,  Aunt 
Sarah,"  Lady  Beatrice  announced  plaintively.  "A 
judgment  upon  one  for  travelling  with  one's  husband. 
Gerard  would  drive,  and  of  course  collided  with  a  mile- 
stone, and  injured  one  of  the  wheels  so  that  the  tire, 
which  broke,  took  hours  to  put  on  again  and  I  was 
frozen  with  cold." 

Everyone  sympathised  with  her,  while  Mr.  Stro- 
brldge  only  smiled  complacently  and  asked  Katherine 
for  some  tea. 

"As  you  can  guess,  I  shall  require  it  very  hot  and 
Tery  strong  to  keep  my  courage  up  after  these  re- 
proaches," and  he  smiled  as  though  to  say,  "I  am  sure 
you  understand." 

Katherine  attended  to  him  gravely ;  she  was  pur- 
posely the  stiff  secretary,  aloof  and  uninterested  in 
what  was  going  on ;  Mr.  Strobridge  rather  wondered  at 
it,  and  it  piqued  him  a  little,  but  the  lady  who  had  been 
asked  for  his  special  delectation  had  no  intention  of 
allowing  him  any  leisure  to  converse  with  anyone  else. 
She  gave  him  one  of  her  ravishing  smiles,  moved  her 
dress  a  little  to  make  room  for  him  on  her  sofa,  and 
then  whispered  to  him  softly  for  a  long  time,  amidst 
the  general  merry  din. 

Nothing  escaped  the  eyes  and  intelligence  of  Miss 
Bush.  She  was  observing  behaviour,  character  and  cap- 
ability in  each  one  of  the  guests  and  was  making  up  her 
mind  what  she  would  do  next  for  the  furtherance  of  her 
plan  that  Gerard  Strobridge  should  be  a  friend. 

For  one  moment  he  looked  up  and  met  her  eyes,  and 
153 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

she  allowed  hers  to  show  that  sphinxlike  smile  before 
she  lowered  the  lids.  Gerard  Strobridge  experienced 
an  emotion.  Liio  was  perhaps  making  him  look  a  little 
ridiculous.  She  ^f^'as  overdoing  her  pleasure  at  seeing 
him.  However,  he  was  too  old  a  hand  at  dalliance  with 
women  to  allow  himself  to  stay  beside  her  for  a  moment 
after  he  felt  this.  So  he  made  some  forcible  excuse 
about  the  post's  going,  and  got  up  and  left  the  room. 
He  was  completely  at  home,  it  was  plain  to  be  seen,  at 
BHssington  Court. 

Katherine  smiled  again  to  herself. 

After  dinner  there  was  to  be  a  cinematograph  show 
for  Lady  Garribardine's  grandchildren,  a  thirteen-year- 
old  schoolboy  and  girls  of  ten  and  seven,  and  they  were 
dining  punctually  at  eight.  Katherine  was  to  bring 
I;hem  into  the  hall  when  the  entertainment  began,  hav- 
ing had  them  with  her  for  dinner  in  the  old  schoolroom. 
She  was  not  particularly  fond  of  children,  but  she  did 
her  best  to  make  them  enjoy  their  meal.  They  were 
stupid,  unattractive  creatures  with  none  of  their  grand- 
mother's wit.  They  were  to  go  on  to  their  paternal  re- 
lations for  the  New  Year,  and  then  with  their  governess 
and  tutor  were  to  sail  to  join  their  parents  in  the  An- 
tipodes. 

The  "dressy  blouse"  had  to  do  duty  as  evening  attire 
on  this  night  (the  creation  of  Gladys'  arranging  must 
be  kept  for  the  grand  occasion  of  the  Christmas  dinner 
in  the  dining-room)  but  Katherine  had  altered  it  a  little, 
the  wretched  thing!  and  cut  down  the  neck  to  make  it 
more  becoming.  It  looked  quite  suitable  to  her  station 
in  any  case,  she  thought,  as  she  caught  sight  of  herself 
in  the  long  glass  in  her  room.  She  was  beginning  to 
take  an  interest  in  dress  which  surprised  herself! 

She  took  a  chair  in  tlic  background,  close  to  the  stair- 
154 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

case  from  which  the  servants  were  to  be  allowed  to  wit- 
ness the  show —  Her  whole  demeanour  was  quiet  and 
unremarkable — and  no  one  paid  any  attention  to  her  at 
all  until  the  lights  were  turned  up  in  the  interval  be- 
tween one  set  of  pictures  and  another,  when  Lady  Gar- 
ribardine  called  out  to  her: 

"Can  you  see  from  where  you  are,  Miss  Bush?  The 
next  thing  ought  to  be  very  funny." 

Katherine  had  the  kind  of  voice  which  people  listen 
to,  and  one  or  two  of  the  men  glanced  round  at  her 
when  she  answered  with  thanks  that  she  had  a  capital 
view.  And  old  Colonel  Hawthorne  said  to  a  young 
guardsman  friend  of  Miss  Betty  d'Estaire  that,  by 
Jove !  Her  Ladyship's  secretary,  or  the  children's  gov- 
erness, or  whoever  she  was,  had  a  pair  of  eyes  worth 
looking  at ! 

Gerard  Strobridge  had  found  Lao  charming  again! 
He  had  dined  well  and  partaken  of  his  aunt's  promised 
very  best  champagne,  and  he  had  indulged  in  some  ob- 
viously subtle  insinuations  as  to  his  further  intentions 
in  regard  to  their  enjoyable  friendship,  whispered  in 
her  shell-pink  ear  while  the  lights  were  low. 

"Oh  Gerard ! — I  won't  allow  you  to ! — ^Wait — not 
yet!"  Mrs.  Delemar  had  gasped  prettily,  expecting 
him  to  press  the  matter  further. 

But  unfortunately  it  was  just  then  that  the  lights 
had  blazed  up,  and  Gerard  had  turned  round  and  caught 
sight  of  the  provoking  face  of  Katherine  Bush  as  his 
aunt  spoke. 

"How  attractive  that  confounded  girl  looks !"  he 
thought.  "What  a  nuisance  she  is  not  married  and  a 
guest,  instead  of  the  typist — it  is  undignified  and — dif- 
ficult!" 

But  the  brief  glance  had  disturbed  him  and  rearoused 
155 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

liis  interest ;  he  found  that  he  could  not  bring  himself 
up  to  the  desired  level  of  enthusiasm  again  with  Lao, 
and  contented  himself  by  talking  enigmatically  about 
the  parrot  rooms  that  she  was  in — their  situation  and 
their  comfort — while  he  looked  unutterable  things  with 
his  deep  grey  eyes.  Then  presently  when  they  all  moved, 
and  the  show  was  over,  he  allowed  himself  to  be  sup- 
planted in  her  favours  by  a  promising  youth  of  three 
and  twenty,  a  distant  cousin  of  the  house,  who  would 
not  have  been  permitted  the  ghost  of  a  chance  at  an- 
other time !  But  Gerard's  emotions  did  not  show  on  the 
surface  and  Katherine  Bush  slipped  up  to  bed  presently 
in  rather  a  depressed  frame  of  mind. 

She  realised  fully  that  the  goal  was  yet  a  long,  long 
way  from  attainment,  and  that  it  would  require  all  her 
intelligence  to  walk  warily  through  this  coming  week. 

No  one  had  been  in  the  least  slighting  or  unkind  to 
her,  but  naturally  no  one  had  troubled  to  converse  with 
her;  she  was  just  the  secretary  and  was  treated  exactly 
as  she  would  treat  her  own,  when  she  had  one,  she  felt. 
It  would  not  be  safe  to  attract  any  of  the  party;  her 
employer's  good  will  and  contentment  with  her  mattered 
far  more  than  the  gratification  of  her  vanity. 

Mr.  Strobridge,  however,  was  one  of  the  chief  pieces 
in  her  game,  and  him  she  would  see  often  as  long  as  she 
remained  in  Lady  Garribardine's  service,  so  there  was 
no  hurry — she  could  afford  to  wait. 

But  all  the  same  she  settled  down  to  read  "The  Seven 
Lamps  of  Architecture"  without  the  buoyant  feeling  of 
self-confidence  which  usually  gave  her  such  a  proud 
carriage  of  head. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

AlfESSAGE  came  up  to  Katherlne  next  morn- 
ing— the  morning  of  Christmas  Day — from 
Lady  Garribardine  to  say  that  she  could  walk 
across  the  park  to  church  with  the  two  elder  children 
and  that  she  was  to  take  them  into  the  front  pew  that 
faced  the  large  carved  family  one  behind  the  choir  at 
right  angles. 

And  from  this  well-placed  outlook  Miss  Bush  later 
on  observed  the  house  party  enter  by  a  door  in  the  chan- 
cel. They  filled  the  whole  long  scat  and  overflowed 
into  the  pew  where  she  and  the  children  sat,  and  it  hap- 
pened that  Gerard  Strobridge  was  next  her  and  knelt  to 
say  his  prayers. 

Propinquity  is  a  very  curious  thing,  and  when  all 
possibility  of  conversation  is  nil,  propinquity  has  some- 
times been  known  to  exert  a  very  powerful  influence. 
Gerard  Strobridge  was  conscious  with  every  throb  of 
his  pulse  of  the  nearness  of  Katherine  Bush ;  there  was 
a  magnetic  disturbing  emanation  he  felt  coming  from 
her,  which  excited  him  unaccountably.  He  kept  glanc- 
ing at  her  regular  profile  from  time  to  time.  Her  very 
pale  skin  and  large  red  mouth  attracted  him  immensely. 
She  never  once  looked  at  him,  and  maintained  an  air  of 
absolute  unconsciousness. 

"What  is  she  thinking  about,  I  wonder?"  he  mused. 
"I  have  never  seen  a  face  more  sphinxlike ;  she  could  be 
good  or  devihshly  bad,  she  could  love  passionately  and 
hate  coldly,  she  could  be  cruel  as  the  grave  and  hard 

157 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

as  adamant.     She  is  a  woman  that  a  man  were  wiser 
not  to  know  too  well  for  his  own  safety." 

But  reflections  of  this  sort  never  yet  made  son  of 
Adam  avoid  the  object  of  tliem,  so  when  they  came  out 
and  Katherine  was  waiting  for  instructions  from  her 
employer  as  to  the  disposal  of  the  children,  Mr.  Stro- 
bridge  came  up  to  her. 

"A  happy  Christmas,  Miss  Bush,"  he  said.  "Are  you 
going  to  walk  back  through  the  Park.''  Here,  Teddy,  I 
will  come  with  you." 

"We  are  going  in  the  motor  with  Grandmamma," 
both  children  cried  at  once  as  Katherine  returned  his 
greeting,  and  they  ran  off  to  Lady  Garribardine.  So 
Katherine  started  to  walk  on  alone,  while  the  rest  of  the 
party  lingered  about  the  porch  and  made  up  their  minds 
as  to  whether  or  no  they  would  drive. 

She  had  gone  some  way  and  was  on  a  path  by  a  copse 
in  the  Park,  when  Mr.  Strobridge  caught  her  up. 

"Why  did  you  race  ahead.  Miss  Bush.''"  he  asked. 
**Did  you  not  want  any  companion  in  your  solitude.'"' 

"I  never  thought  about  it,"  she  returned  quite  simply. 

"I  did — I  wanted  to  walk  with  you,  I  have  been  watch- 
ing you  all  the  time  in  church.  I  believe  that  you  were 
in  dreamland  again ;  now  will  be  the  very  moment  to 
finish  our  discussion  upon  it." 

"I  don't  think  we  had  begun  it." 

"Well,  we  will." 

"How  are  we  to  start?" 

"You  are  going  to  tell  me  where  yours  is — in  the 
heart  or  in  the  head.''" 

"Such  a  conversation  would  be  altogether  unprofit- 
able." There  was  mischief  lurking  in  the  corner  of  her 
eye  and  trembling  in  the  curves  of  her  full  mouth. 

"I  must  judge  of  that." 

158 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

"How  so?    Do  I  not  count?" 

"Enormously — that  is  why  I  want  to  hear  of  your 
dreamland." 

"It  is  a  place  where  only  I  can  go." 

"How  unsociable — but  you  look  disobliging." 

"I  am." 

"Very  well,  I  give  up  the  task  of  trying  to  make  you 
tell  me  about  it.  By  the  way,  I  have  not  had  the  chance 
to  thank  you  for  so  kindly  finishing  those  papers  for 
that  confounded  charity.  My  aunt  said  they  were  in 
perfect  order." 

"I  am  glad  of  that." 

He  raised  his  head  and  looked  away  in  front  of  them 
down  into  a  dell  and  so  up  again  to  the  house. 

"Isn't  this  a  beautiful  view?  I  always  think  of  'the 
stately  homes  of  England'  when  I  walk  back  from 
church." 

Katherine's  eyes  followed  his  to  the  gabled,  irregular 
red  brick  house,  with  its  wreath  of  blue  smoke  going 
straight  up  into  the  winter  sky. 

"I  have  never  seen  one  before,"  she  told  him.  "You 
can  imagine  how  wonderful  this  appears  to  me  after  the 
place  where  I  have  lived.  I  had  only  seen  Hampton 
Court,  but  somehow  all  the  people  there  and  its  being 
a  museum  did  not  make  it  have  the  impression  of  a  house 
that  is  inhabited." 

"This  pleases  you,  does  it?" 

"Naturally.  I  love  everj'tliing  about  it,  the  space, 
and  people  not  being  allov/ed  in.  It  is  Her  Lad^'ship's 
own — she  can  shut  the  gates  if  she  wants  to  ajid  have 
it  all  to  herself — that  must  be  good." 

"What  a  strange  girl!  You  would  not  like  to  share 
anj'thing,  then?  I  have  already  remarked  this  deplor- 
ably selfish  instinct  in  you,  in  reference  to  your  dream- 

159 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

land — and  you  would  keep  poor  devils  out  of  your  park, 
too,  if  you  could !" 

"Generally — j^es." 

"Well,  I  want  to  be  the  exception  to  this  exclusive- 
ness.  If  I  come  up  one  afternoon  to  the  old  schoolroom, 
for  instance,  and  ask  you  to  talk  to  me,  will  you  turn 
me  out?" 

"It  depends  what  you  want  me  to  talk  to  you  about. 
If  it  is  upon  a  subject  only  to  please  you — yes — if  to 
please  me  then  I  may  let  you  stay  for  a  little." 

"What  subjects  would  please  you?" 

"I  would  like  to  hear  all  about  the  pictures  in  the 
house,  for  instance — you  see,  before  I  came  to  Ladj 
Garribardine  I  had  never  conversed  with  anyone  edu- 
cated in  art.  So  I  have  only  a  very  little  book  knowl- 
edge to  go  upon." 

"We  will  talk  about  art  then ;  the  house  is  full  of 
interesting  things,  part  of  it  is  so  old." 

For  the  rest  of  the  way  he  did  his  best  to  entertain 
his  aunt's  insignificant  secretary,  and  thej  both  knew 
that  the  walk  had  been  very  charming.  When  they  got 
into  the  shrubbery,  Katherine  took  the  path  which  led 
to  the  small  rose-garden  courtyard,  on  which  the  school- 
room staircase  opened. 

"Of  course,  I  had  forgotten  you  have  a  front  door 
all  to  yourself." 

"Yes — our  roads  divide  here.  Good  morning,  Mr. 
Strobridge." 

"Are  you  going  to  shake  hands  with  me?" 

"No,  it  is  quite  unnecessary." 

*^Au  revoir,  then.  To-night  I  shall  dance  with  jou. 
I  have  not  danced  for  ten  years." 

"Then  probably  you  will  not  do  it  well.  Recollect  I 
come  from  Bindon's  Green  where  we  learn  the  very 

160 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATIIERINE  BUSH 

newest  steps.  I  never  have  put  up  with  a  bad  partner." 
"I  can't  'turkey  trot,'  if  that  is  what  you  mean." 
"Then  I  am  afraid  you  are  too  old  and  too  old-fash- 
ioned for  my  taste."  And  smiling  demurely,  she  walked 
off  to  the  quaint,  wrought-iron  gate  which  opened  into 
the  rose  garden. 

Gerard  Strobridge  laughed  as  he  went  on  his  way. 
Why  was  he  attracted  to  this  girl?  He  was  a  person 
of  the  highest  fastidiousness,  and  had  never  had  a  liaison 
with  any  woman  beneath  him  in  class  in  his  life,  even 
in  hif.  Oxford  days.  It  was  against  his  idea  of  the  fit- 
ness of  things.  To  flirt  with  his  aunt's  secretary !  But 
the  creature  was  so  sensible,  and  so  intelligent  it  made 
matters  appear  in  a  different  light — there  surely  could 
not  be  much  harm  in  discussing  pictures  and  sculpture 
with  her,  or  a  poet  or  two !  But  at  this  stage  he  did 
put  some  restraint  upon  himself,  and  made  no  further 
attempts  to  see  her  until  she  came  down  to  pour 
out  the  tea  again.  He  bravely  made  love  to  Lao,  and 
exercised  as  much  skill  to  keep  matters  from  approach- 
ing a  climax  as  he  was  wont  to  use  in  bringing  on  that 
happy  occurrence.  It  caused  him  a  cynical  amuse- 
ment. 

Katherine  had  on  the  dress  which  rather  resembled 
his  wife's,  and  looked  almost  as  distinguished,  and  a 
good  deal  more  healthy  and  attractive. 

Her  demeanour  was  so  admirable,  too ;  she  had  none 
of  either  that  overhumble  obsequiousness  or  touchy  as- 
sertion, which  so  often  distinguished  these  quasi-gen- 
tlefolk,  he  thought.  She  might  have  been  a  Lady  Clara 
Vere  de  Vere  in  her  quiet  dignity  and  utter  freedom 
from  all  self-consciousness. 

It  was  evident  that  she  was  not  thinking  of  herself 
at  all,  or  wondering  whether  or  no  she  was  being  noticed 

161 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

or  slighted,  or  properly  or  improperly  treated.  She 
was  just  gravely  pouring  out  the  tea  and  attending  to 
people's  wants  as  quietly  sure  of  herself  as  his  aunt 
would  have  been.  Indeed,  it  almost  seemed  to  Gerard 
watching  her  that  she  stood  out,  if  he  could  have  se- 
lected one  from  the  whole  party,  as  the  most  perfect 
specimen  of  womanhood. 

Was  it  her  supreme  will — ^her  force  of  character 
which  had  overcome  all  class  traditions?  He  remem- 
bered what  she  had  said  about  no  ordinary  Radical  ever 
being  able  to  be  a  foreign  minister.  How  she  must  have 
thought  out  matters !  Her  brain  was  that  of  a  woman 
in  a  thousand. 

The  Christmas  tea  grew  very  merry,  and  old  Colonel 
Hawthorne,  friend  of  the  family  for  countless  years, 
found  it  his  pleasant  duty  to  be  genial  with  the  good- 
looking  secretary.  Gerard  continued  to  watch;  she 
answered  the  pleasantries  with  so  much  wit,  and  never 
the  least  presumption. 

After  a  while  lie  drifted  up  to  his  aunt's  own  sitting- 
room  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour  before  dressing  time — 
Lao  had  been  cajoled  into  thinking  all  was  well  between 
them,  and  had  gone  off  to  make  herself  especially  beau- 
tiful for  dinner. 

She  had  been  through  one  or  two  disquieting  mo- 
ments. Gerard  had  appeared  all  that  an  eager  lover 
should  be,  and  she  felt  she  must  have  been  stupid  in 
some  way  to  have  given  him  the  impression  that  she  was 
serious  in  her  protestation  of  "not  yet."  She  had  no 
rival — that  was  plain  to  be  seen.  He  never  spoke  to 
Betty  d'Estaire — who  was  the  only  other  young  woman 
of  the  party.  Perhaps  it  was  because  of  Beatrice !  Ge- 
rard was  such  a  perfect  gentleman,  perhaps  in  some  cor- 
ner of  a  foolishly  overpunctihous  heart  he  was  deterred 

162 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 


by — Beatrice!     But  fortunately  Beatrice  was  leaving 
the  day  after  Boxing  Day. 

In  any  case  her  usual  method  of  rigid  circumspec- 
tion— until  the  very  last  moment — had  not  been  quite 
successful  with  this  would-be  lover ;  he  had  been  deceived 
by  it  and  slightly  rebuffed.  It  was  merciful  as  far  as 
her  own  emotions  were  concerned,  but  she  knew  men  well 
enough  to  know  that  unless  she  herself  had  damped  his 
ardour,  this  state  of  things  was  not  altogether  nat- 
ural, and  therefore  it  might  imply  some  lack  in  her  own 
charm,  which  was  not  an  agreeable  thought.  However, 
she  need  not  feel  really  disquieted  while  his  attentions 
were  still  so  empresse. 

"Seraphim,  I  walked  back  from  church  with  Miss 
Bush,"  Gerard  said,  stretching  himself  out  in  a  huge 
chair  by  his  aunt's  fire,  while  he  lighted  a  cigarette. 
"You  are  quite  right,  she  is  a  most  intelligent  young 
woman ;  how  do  you  account  for  that  something  about 
her  which  is  not  at  all  of  her  class?" 

"I  don't  know,  it  has  puzzled  me.  I  was  watching 
her  to-day  pouring  out  the  tea ;  she  is  the  first  secre- 
tary I  have  ever  had,  not  excepting  poor  Arnott,  who 
on  such  occasions  did  not  feel  that  one  or  other  of  the 
guests  was  trying  to  snub  her — Katherine  Bush  is  never 
on  the  defensive — it  is  quite  unique  in  a  person  of  her 
station." 

"I  watched  her,  too,  and  was  struck  with  the  same 
thing;  and  to-day  she  talked  so  well.  She  wanted  to 
hear  about  the  pictures — she  is  absolutely  frank  and 
tells  one  in  the  naivest  manner  about  what  things  she  is 
ignorant  of — but  one  finds  that  she  must  havo  read 
considerably." 

"She  is  full  of  theories  about  tradition  and  evolution. 

163 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 


I  let  her  tell  me  them  motoring  down — she  seems  to  have 
dissected  herself  and  her  family  in  an  endeavour  to 
eradicate  what  she  disapproves  of  in  the  way  of  in- 
stincts." 

"It  is  astonishing,  isn't  it,  Seraphim?" 
"Very — she  made  one  or  two  rather  dreadful  gaffes 
when  she  first  came,  especially  during  the  tableaux  week 
— it  was  quite  interesting  to  see  her  face  when  she 
realised  this.  She  did  not  once  try  to  explain  them 
away — she  drew  in  her  lips  and  I  could  see  she  was 
registering  a  vow  never  to  make  the  same  mistake  again. 
That  kind  of  nature  always  wins  any  game  it  is  play- 


ing " 


I  wonder  what  hers  is — don't  you.?" 

"The  immediate  one  obviously  is  to  turn  herself  into 
a  lady — She  means  to  do  in  a  few  years  consciously, 
what  nature  takes  many  generations  to  accomplish  in 
the  ordinary  course  of  events — Her  progress  is  quite 
remarkable  even  in  these  six  weeks." 

"What  shall  you  do  with  her.  Seraphim?" 

"Keep  her  as  long  as  she  will  stay  with  me,  G.,  and 
perhaps  take  her  education  in  hand  myself  when  you 
all  leave."  And  then  Lady  Garribardine  laughed  softly. 
"Lao  is  a  huge  joke,  dear  boy — I  think  the  parrot 
rooms  suit  her,  don't  you?  Are  you  pleased  with  my 
arrangements  for  my  guests?" 

There  was  something  exquisitely  whimsical  in  Her 
Ladyship's  old  black  eyes,  his  met  them  delightedly. 
Aunt  and  nephew  understood  each  other  so  well,  these 
two  perfect  citizens  of  the  world ! 

"Lao  is  charming!  And  I  am  sure  she  is  deriving  all 
sorts  of  inspirations  from  the  blue  macaw's  amourettes 
with  the  yellow-crested  cockatoo,  which  she  looks  at 
from  her  downy  couch — Seraphim,  I  am  going  to  per- 

164) 


i 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

suade  Beatrice  to  stay  on — Beatrice  is  an  excellent 
creature  in  spite  of  her  contempt  for  my  powers  as  a 
chauffeur !  She  is  quite  amused  with  Victor  Thistle- 
thwaite.  I  paved  the  way  by  suggesting  to  her  this 
morning  that  she  should  take  the  early  train  on  Thurs- 
day, and  she  said  at  once,  that  she  rather  thought  she 
was  not  leaving  until  Saturday  with  the  rest." 

Lady  Garribardine  chuckled  delightedly ;  the  noise 
was  as  of  cream  bubbling — if  cream  can  bubble ! 

"Tiens!"  was  all  she  said  and  then  went  on  to  speak 
of  other  things.  "Betty  d'Estaire  is  going  to  catch 
young  Allonby,  G.  I  believe  they  will  settle  it  to-night. 
For  one  of  my  blood  she  has  a  number  of  overmodern 
faults,  and  Gwendoline  and  Arabella  will  be  glad  to  get 
her  off  their  hands." 

"She  is  a  promising  young  person." 

'*Even  blood  can't  stand  against  the  total  want  of 
discipline  which  prevails  among  the  present  generation, 
G.  When  these  impossible  girls'  children  have  grown  up 
there  won't  be  any  ladies  left." 

"I  don't  think  they  will  have  many  children — we  are 
breeding  a  neuter  race,  Seraphim.  All  the  games  are 
making  their  bones  too  rigid,  and  all  the  want  of  dis- 
cipline is  weakening  their  nerves — very  few  of  the 
future  ones  will  be  able  to  stand  the  agonies  of  child- 
bearing." 

"You  are  not  in  a  position  to  criticise,  G.,  with  no 
offspring  of  your  own!" 

"I  am  not  an  eldest  son ;  there  is  no  obligation  en- 
tailed upon  me !  Dick  has  three  bo3's,  fortunately,  and 
Alec,  two." 

"I  consider  that  the  poorest  excuse." 

Mr.  Strobridge  sighed. 

"Perhaps  it  is — the  whole  thing  is  rather  played  out 
165 


THE  CABEER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 


with  us  all,  isn't  it?  Seraphim,  when  I  talked  with  that 
balanced,  healthy  young  woman  to-day,  I  felt  we  want 
an  admixture  of  new  blood  in  a  number  of  our  families, 
if  only  to  bring  back  our  enthusiasm.  Dick's  children 
are  fine  enough  fellows  physically,  but  there  is  not  half 
a  peck  o'  wits  among  them — and  as  you  know,  Alec's 
little  Yankee  chaps  are  what  their  mother  calls  'brainy' 
to  a  degree,  but  masses  of  overstrung  nerves  as  well." 

Lady  Garribardine  leaned  forward  from  among  her 
sofa  cushions  and  looked  at  her  nephew  with  a  quizzical 
eye. 

"G.,  if  you  were  free  and  my  heir,  I'd  marry  you  off 
to  Katherine  Bush  just  for  the  pleasure  of  the  experi- 
ment!" 

Then  the  little  Sevres  clock  chimed.  "Why,  it  is 
striking  the  quarter — rush  off  at  once,  dear  boy ! — and 
don't  forget  to  put  on  your  hunt  coat;  the  scarlet 
pleases  the  children." 

In  another  part  of  the  house,  Her  Ladyship's  secre- 
tary, quite  unaware  that  she  was  under  discussion,  was 
joyously  dressing  in  her  pretty  oak-panelled  room,  with 
a  dchcious  sense  of  excitement.  Martha  was  coming  in 
to  help  her  presently  for  this  wonderful  first  occasion  in 
her  life  when  she  should  put  on  a  real  evening  dress, 
showing  pearl  white  neck  and  arms.  Gladys  had  given 
her  every  instruction  as  to  its  fastenings  and  had  super- 
vised the  making  of  it  with  a  zeal  which  she  would  only 
have  bestowed  upon  an  order  from  the  richest  customer. 
The  frock  fitted  to  perfection,  and  was  astonishingly 
becoming  in  its  black  simplicity. 

Martha  had  brought  her  in  some  beautiful  hlies  of 
the  valley,  when  she  came  with  her  hot  water,  accom_- 
panied  by  the  information  that  Mr.  Strobridge's  valet 

166 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATIIERINE  BUSH 

had  handed  them  to  her  for  Miss  Bush,  from  his  master. 

Gerard  liad  been  robbing  the  hothouses  evidently. 
The  head  gardener  was  a  particular  friend  of  his.  They 
were  just  the  touch  wanted  to  complete  the  picture; 
their  snowy  whiteness  and  brilliant  forced  green  gave 
the  note  of  freshness  which  went  so  well  with  Kath- 
erine's  skin — of  an  astonishing  purity — by  candle-light 
as  clear  as  ivory  and  as  pale  in  tone. 

She  gazed  into  her  looking-glass  and  felt  satisfied 
with  what  she  saw,  and  presently  she  held  her  shoulders 
back  and  her  head  up,  and  walked  down  the  corridor 
with  the  grace  of  a  Comedie  Fran9aise  queen  !  So  great- 
ly does  the  consciousness  of  fine  raiment  affect  the 
morale  of  young  women ! 

Lady  Beatrice  came  out  of  her  room  in  the  great 
gallery  and  they  went  down  together. 

"You  do  look  so  pretty,  Miss  Bush,"  she  said.  "What 
a  duck  of  a  frock !     It  looks  like  an  Ermantine." 

"Yes,  my  sister  is  a  saleswoman  there,  and  she  had 
it  made  for  me,"  Katherine  told  her. — "I  am  glad  you 
think  it  looks  well.  I  have  never  had  on  a  real  evening 
dress  before." 

"You  know  how  to  wear  it  so  that  is  all  right !  Ah, 
children,  come  along!"  as  three  joyous  calls  came  from 
over  the  banisters.  And  Katherine  slipped  on  alone. 
Lady  Garribardine  had  told  her,  before  she  went  to 
dress,  to  go  to  Bronson  to  see  that  a  special  order  about 
the  presents  was  carried  out. 

All  the  party  were  assembled  in  the  great  drawing- 
room  when  this  duty  was  done,  and  so  her  entrance  did 
not  pass  unremarked. 

"By  Jove!"  was  the  significant  exclamation  of  old 
Colonel  Plawthorne. 

"And  I  am  to  have  the  pleasure  of  taking  you  in  to 
167 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

dinner,"  said  the  charming  young  man  who  had  so  far 
succeeded  in  diverting  Lady  Beatrice. 

Gerard  Strobridge  felt  a  strange  sensation  as  he 
looked  at  Katherine  presently,  between  the  great  bowls 
of  camellias — there  was  no  comparison  with  anyone  at 
the  table;  Her  Ladyship's  secretary  had  blossomed 
forth  into  the  beauty  of  the  night, 

"How  clothes  can  alter  a  person  !"  Mrs.  Delemar  said 
without  conscious  spite — dependents,  even  pretty  ones, 
were  not  things  which  counted. — "Look,  G. — dear 
Sarah's  typist  appears  quite  pretty  to-niglit,  and  how 
kind  she  is  to  her  servants ;  see,  she  has  let  the  girl  have 
those  beautiful  lilies  of  the  valley  which  Hawke  told  me 
to-day  when  you  were  making  him  give  me  the  orchids, 
it  just  breaks  his  heart  to  have  to  cut!" 


CHAPTER    XV 

THE  sudden  accession  to  beauty  in  Lady  Garri- 
bardinc's  secretary  had  a  double — nay,  treble — 
result!  It  caused  Mr.  Victor  Thistlethwaite 
plainly  to  show  that  he  perceived  it  at  dinner,  and  there- 
by considerably  to  annoy  both  the  Lady  Beatrice  and 
Mr.  Gerard  Strobridge  during  that  meal!  Lady 
Beatrice  considered  it  impertinence  on  the  part  of  Miss 
Bush  and  Mr.  Strobridge  found  it  "ridiculous  cheek  of 
that  insufferable  puppy  Thistlethwaite." 

Katherine  for  her  part  enjoyed  herself!  She  had  got 
over  the  awe  of  servants — and  the  strangeness  of  well- 
bred  companions — She  was  now  sure  of  the  methods  of 
eating,  too,  and  so  had  leisure  to  enjoy  conversation 
and  she  was  filled  with  that  delicious  sovereign  com- 
placency which  only  a  woman  discovering  that  she  is 
undeniably  a  success  can  know. 

While  remaining  exceedingly  demure,  she  managed 
to  arrest  the  exclusive  attention  of  her  partner  for  the 
feast,  and  Lady  Garribardine  watched  the  whole  thing 
with  a  whimsical  eye. 

Gerard  Strobridge  was  too  good  a  diplomat  to  allow 
the  vaguest  trace  of  his  disturbed  equilibrium  to  show 
in  his  face,  and  talked  to  Lao  with  renewed  passion,  so 
that  before  they  began  to  pull  crackers  she  was  feeling 
perfectly  contented  in  the  certain  conviction  that  it  was 
Beatrice's  presence  alone  which  kept  him  within  bounds  ! 
He  had  not  made  love  to  women  ever  since  he  left  Eton, 
or  served  his  country  at  the  Foreign  Office  until  the  age 

169 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

of  thirty-five,  without  acquiring  a  certain  experience 
in  feminine  psychology,  and  a  knowledge  as  to  the  best 
manipulation  of  diplomatic  situations,  and  even  though 
he  had  been  irritated  by  Mr.  Thistlethwaite's  evident 
admiration,  he  saw  that  it  would  certainly  cause 
Beatrice  to  stay  until  the  Saturday,  and  so  in  it  there 
lay  good. 

There  were  quantities  of  silver  charms  in  the  blazing 
plum-pudding,  and  some  received  omens  of  wealth,  and 
some  of  princely  mates  or  lengthy  journeys,  but  Gerard 
Strobridge  could  only  secure  the  emblem  of  an  old  maid 
— a  thimble  was  his  portion — and  he  turned  the  un- 
happy augury  to  much  good  account  in  a  suitable  re- 
proach to  Lao. 

When  the  caps  from  the  crackers  were  put  on,  an 
early  English  gold  paper  crown  fell  to  Katherine's 
share,  and  became  her  mightily. 

"Why,  Miss  Bush  looks  just  like  Queen  Victoria  when 
she  came  to  the  throne,  Grandmamma !"  called  out  the 
elder  girl  grandchild.  "We  have  her  picture  on  the 
nursery  screen." 

"And  I  wonder  what  her  end  will  be,"  Gerard  Stro- 
bridge thought ;  "she  looks  remarkably  well  in  a  crown." 

The  hall  had  been  cleared  for  dancing  and  when  the 
excitement  in  opening  the  wonderful  little  presents 
which  lay  hidden  in  a  rose  by  each  person's  plate  was 
over,  the  company  poured  in  there,  while  three  local 
musicians  struck  up  a  merry  tune.  It  was  a  two-step 
and  Miss  Betty  d'Estaire  must  try  it  with  some  new 
variations  which  were  just  coming  in  from  America  at 
that  date  (it  was  before  tango  days).  Katherine  was 
an  adept  in  them,  for  was  not  Bindon's  Green  always 
in  the  forefront  of  modernity.''  And  any  kind  of  danc- 
ing she  really  loved.     It  was  the  one  pastime  of  her 

170 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

sisters  which  she  had  shared  with  delight,  and  often 
practised  with  Ethel  in  their  tiny  drawing-room  before 
going  to  bed. 

Mr.  Thistlethwaite  asked  her  for  a  turn  with  him, 
and  they  started  off. 

"It  is  much  better  than  a  stupid  old  valse,  isn't  it.'"' 
he  said  to  her  while  they  careered  smoothly  ahead. 
*'And  by  Jove !  how.  well  you  dance !" 

Tlie  blood  was  rushing  in  Katherine's  veins ;  it  was 
so  good  to  be  young  and  admired,  and  forgetful  of  rela- 
tive positions  for  once  in  a  way.  She  knew  very  well 
that  she  was  a  far  finer  performer  than  the  other  young 
girl,  and  all  that  was  sensuous  in  her  nature  came  up- 
permost and  quivered  through  the  rhythmic  movements 
of  her  supple  body.  Gerard  Strobridge  watched  her 
silently.  He  was  conscious  of  profound  and  increasing 
emotion ;  it  was  as  if  some  primitive,  strong,  vital  thing 
was  there  before  him,  dwarfing  the  puny  make-believes 
at  passion  which  were  so  well  assumed  by  Lao  Delemar. 
She  was  standing  beside  him  looking  as  beautiful  and 
as  artificial  as  the  orchids  in  her  dress. 

"Hew  that  girl  could  love !"  he  breathed  to  himself 
as  he  watched  the  dancers,  and  Lao  seemed  as  utterly 
meaningless  as  a  wax  doll! 

Once  was  enough  of  this  sort  of  thing,  Katherine 
Bush  thought ;  she  was  keenly  alive  to  atmospheres  and 
she  felt  that  for  a  secretary  to  do  more  than  show  that 
she  was  proficient  in  these  steps  would  be  a  breach  of 
taste.  So  no  persuasions  of  her  partner  would  move 
her  after  the  first  few  rounds,  and  she  left  him  and  went 
off  with  the  youngest  grandchild  in  a  polka  step. 

Thus  the  Lady  Beatrice  recovered  her  wliilom  ad- 
mirer, and  when  another  tune  had  begun  and  Lao  had 
been  safely  lured  into  the  arms  of  the  distant  cousin, 

171 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

Gerard  Strobridge  came  over  casually  to  where  Kath- 
erine  stood. 

"Am  I  to  be  allowed  a  turn  of  this  old-fashioned 
valse,  Miss  Bush?"  he  asked. 

But  Katherine  was  not  to  be  beguiled  so  easily — she 
must  parley  first! 

"I  do  not  know  if  her  Ladyship  expects  me  to 
dance  any  more,"  she  answered.  "If  you  think  she 
will  not  mind  my  accepting  this  honour,  I  shall  be  very 
pleased." 

"Foolish  thing!  Is  it  not  Christmas  night,  and  are 
you  not  the  bell-e  of  the  ball.''"  And  he  held  out  his  arm 
and  they  whirled  off.  It  gave  him  immense  pleasure 
to  hold  her  in  his  embrace — but  something  in  the  scent 
of  the  violets  in  his  scarlet  hunt  coat  brought  back  to 
Katherine  with  a  sickening  thrill  of  anguish  and  longing 
the  remembrance  of  Lord  Algy  and  the  Saturday  night 
in  Paris  when  they  had  danced  in  masks  and  dominoes 
at  a  Bal  Tabarin.  Oh!  the  pain  of  it! — Suddenly  the 
whole  present  melted  away  from  her — the  dreams  of 
the  future,  the  pride  in  her  conquest  of  the  past !  The 
passionate  woman  in  her  cried  aloud  in  wild  longing  for 
him,  Algy — her  darling,  her  dearly-loved  mate !  How 
plain  were  these  other  young  men ! — How  tired  and  old 
Gerard  Strobridge  looked !  At  that  moment  she  would 
have  thrown  her  whole  ambitions  away  into  nothing- 
ness, to  be  clasped  once  more  to  Algy's  heart!  Her 
cheeks  became  ashen  white  and  her  strange  eyes  grew 
shadowed  and  fierce,  and  Gerard  Strobridge  was 
brought  up  sharply  out  of  his  intoxication  of  emotion 
by  the  look  in  her  face. 

"What  is  it,  child  ?"  he  asked  anxiously,  holding  her 
close. 

"Let  me  go — let  me  go!"  she  cried  wildly,  breaking 

172 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

from  him  near  the  staircase  recess.  "I — I — cannot  bear 
it — I  would  like  to  get  out  of  all  this !" 

He  was  intensely  astonished,  but  he  saw  that  she  was 
trembling,  and  well  as  he  knew  women  he  could  not 
fathom  the  reason  of  this  strange  outburst.  Katherine 
recovered  her  composure  almost  immediately  and  gave 
a  short  mirthless  laugh. 

"I  am  awfully  stupid,"  she  faltered.  "I  cannot  think 
what  came  over  me.  I  believe  it  must  be  because  I  am 
unaccustomed  to  parties,  and  it  is  getting  late.'* 

"It  is  not  yet  eleven  o'clock — but  come  and  have 
something  to  drink — I  see  a  tray  down  there  in  the 
long  hall,"  and  she  let  him  lead  her  to  it  and  pour  out 
some  champagne  and  seltzer  for  her,  and  then  thej  sat 
down. 

He  saw  very  well  that  something  had  deeply  moved 
her,  and  his  perfect  tact  would  not  permit  him  to 
refer  to  the  occurrence,  but  caused  him  rather  to  talk 
soothingly  of  ordinary  things — and  in  a  few  minutes 
he  saw  that  the  normal  whiteness  had  come  back  to  her 
face.  But  nothing  would  induce  her  to  dance  any  more, 
and  although  she  continued  doing  whatever  was  ex- 
pected of  her  during  the  rest  of  the  evening — and 
snatched  flaming  raisins  in  the  snapdragon  with  dash- 
ing Indifference  to  pain — he  knew  that  she  was  doing 
it  all  as  an  automaton,  and  that  the  living,  vital,  mag- 
netic Katherine  was  no  longer  there,  and  that  this  pale, 
quiet  girl  whose  hand  he  held  presently  In  the  deserted 
corridor  was  only  too  glad  to  say  good-night. 

"Dear  child,"  he  whispered,  as  he  kissed  it  with 
homage,  "I  don't  know  what  it  was  that  caused  It,  but 
you  have  evidently  seen  a  ghost,  and  now  go  to  bed, 
and  forget  everything  but  that  we  have  all  had  an 
awfully  happy  Christmas,  and  I  want  to  tell  you  how 

173 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 


pleased  I  am  that  you  have  worn  my  flowers  to-night.'* 

" — Your  flowers !  Oh !  yes,  I  ought  to  have  thanked 
jou  for  them  before — they  were  lovely,  but  now  they 
are  dead,"  and  she  unpinned  them  carelessly — almost 
as  if  she  did  not  like  them  any  longer  to  touch  her — 
and  threw  them  in  the  big  open  grate. 

"Good-night — and  thank  you  for  your  kindness," 
and  she  was  off  down  the  passage  and  up  the  side  stairs. 

And  when  Gerard  Strobridge  joined  the  rest  of  the 
party  in  the  drawing-room,  he  had  a  cigarette  between 
his  lips,  as  though  he  had  been  having  a  smoke,  and  it 
required  all  his  polished  skill  to  bring  himself  back  to 
talking  gaily,  and  to  looking  what  he  did  not  feel,  into 
Mrs.  Delemar's  sparkling  eyes,  before  they  all  parted 
for  the  night. 

Meanwhile,  Katherine  Bush  had  reached  her  room  and 
had  flung  herself  into  the  armchair.  This  would  not  do 
— she  must  steel  herself  against  giving  way  to  weakness 
like  this.  Why  had  the  scent  of  the  violets  in  another 
man's  coat  had  power  to  aff'ect  her  so  that  every  part 
of  her  being  cried  out  for  Algy?  As  though  the  sup- 
pressed emotions  of  her  heart  would  no  longer  obey  her 
will — and  must  proclaim  themselves  her  master !  It 
was  shameful  feebleness,  and  she  indignantly  resented 
the  dominion  that  love  still  held  over  her.  She  sat  there 
reasoning  with  herself,  but  nature  reigned  stronger  than 
any  other  thing  at  the  moment,  and  the  memory  of  her 
lover  obsessed  her.  She  seemed  to  hear  his  voice  and 
feel  his  kisses,  until  the  agony  of  longing  for  reality 
grew  unbearable,  and  she  fell  forward  and  lay  there  on 
the  rug  before  the  fire  beating  the  floor  with  her  hands. 
It  was  as  the  despair  of  some  fierce  savage  caged  ani- 
mal crying  out  for  its  mate.  Her  whole  face  altered,  the 
most    intense    passion    blazed     from    her    eyes — and 

174 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

whitened  her  checks.  Could  Gerard  Strobridge  have 
seen  her  he  would  indeed  have  been  moved. 

"Algy !  Algy — My  darling,  my  love — Come  back  to 
me,  I  want  you.    My  dear,  my  dear ! — " 

She  sobbed  with  agony — and  then  worn  out  at  last — • 
*'0h !  God  !"  she  wailed.  "Can  whatever  comes  be  worth 
it— after  all !" 

But  by  the  morning  she  had  crushed  emotion  and 
came  down  ready  to  assist  with  the  huge  Christmas 
tree  for  the  tenants'  children,  with  her  usually  com- 
posed face. 

But  that  passion  denied  should  have  exacted  this 
anguish  frightened  her  a  little.  All  her  will  should  be 
used  to  prevent  such  madness  ever  holding  sway  again. 


CHAPTER    XVI 

LADY  BEATRICE  remained  until  the  Saturday, 
greatly  to  her  husband's  satisfaction  and  relief. 
He  had  manceuvred  this  arrangement  with  much 
skill,  and  Lao's  vanity  felt  satisfied,  and  indeed  grati- 
fied, by  the  belief  that  the  presence  of  his  wife  was 
causing  Gerard  untold  suffering  and  disappointment! 
The  preliminaries  of  the  game  were  so  very  agreeable! 
and  when  they  could  be  prolonged  by  fate  so  that  there 
was  no  fear  of  losing  the  other  participant  in  them, 
nothing  could  be  more  to  her  taste. 

Passion,  like  that  which  Katherine  Bush  knew,  would 
have  appeared  as  something  absolutely  shocking  and 
horrible  to  her — indeed,  she  would  have  agreed  with 
Mabel  Cawber  in  considering  it  as  most  unladylike  I 

The  circumstance  of  the  Christmas  night  dance  had 
left  a  feeling  of  mystery  with  Gerard  Strobrldge,  which 
did  not  detract  from  his  interest  in  Katherine  Bush. 
That  some  strong  upheaval  had  taken  place  in  this 
strange  young  woman's  soul  he  did  not  doubt. 

But  wliat  in  Heaven's  name  had  caused  it.''  Did  it 
concern  him.'* — Or  was  he  only  the  medium  connecting 
some  memory? — He  wished  he  could  feel  sure.  Then 
there  was  the  Incident  of  his  flowers ;  why  had  she  worn 
them,  and  then  thrown  them  from  her  as  if  they  had 
burnt  her.'' 

His  rather  tormenting  thoughts  kept  him  too  fre- 
quent company — especially  as  the  provoking  girl  seemed 
to  have  retired  from  sight,  and  except  on  rare  occa- 

176 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

sions,  before  everyone,  he  never  had  the  chance  of  even 
a  word. 

Lady  Garribardine's  rheumatism  was  better,  so  Miss 
Bush  had  not  even  been  required  to  pour  out  the 
tea. 

It  was  with  a  sigh  of  intense  relief  that  he  returned 
into  the  hall  after  tucking  Lao  and  his  wife  into  the 
motor  en  route  for  London  town,  on  Saturday  morning 
an  hour  or  two  before  lunch. 

The  hostess  was  not  down  to  speed  her  parting 
guests ;  she  was  very  much  occupied  in  her  boudoir,  and 
they  had  gone  thither  to  bid  her  farewell. 

As  Mr.  Strobridge  mounted  the  stairs,  he  met  Kath- 
erine  coming  out  of  the  room  with  her  arms  full  of 
papers  and  small  parcels,  and  a  couple  of  big  books, 
which  she  had  some  ado  to  carry. 

"Let  me  help  you,"  he  said,  eagerly — and  she  gave 
him  the  heavy  volumes  without  a  word. 

A  sense  of  exasperation  arose  in  him.  He  would  not 
be  flouted  like  this !  He  followed  her  to  the  old  school- 
room, merely  remarking  on  the  way  that  now  all  the 
guests,  except  Colonel  Hawthorne,  had  departed,  he 
felt  there  was  breathing  space. 

Katherine  seemed  quite  unconcerned  and  indifferent 
as  to  whether  he  did  or  did  not ;  and  she  took  his  bur- 
den from  him  and  thanked  him  absently,  with  a  look 
towards  the  door  evidently  expecting  him  to  go  back 
again  whence  he  came. 

But  he  showed  no  signs  of  moving. 

"Am  I  to  be  offered  a  chair  on  this  my  first  call  upon 
Miss  Bush.?" 

"It  isn't  a  call — you  helped  me  to  carry  the  books. 
I  am  very  busy  to-day." 

"I  don't  care.     I  am  here  now,  and  I  am  going  to 

177 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

stay — I  shall  tell  my  aunt  how  inhospitable  and  un- 
gracious you  are !" 

"Sneak !"  and  she  began  sorting  the  little  parcels  into 
a  row,  her  sullen  eyes  smiling.  "I  always  hated  tell- 
tales at  school." 

"So  did  I — but  I  could  commit  any  crime  to  be  with 
you.  I  have  been  tantalized  all  the  week — Miss  Bush 
not  even  seen  at  tea — and  only  glimpses  of  her  scurry- 
ing along  passages  and  up  stairs  !" 

"What  then  do  you  want  with  Miss  Bush.'' — Have 
you  some  more  charity  business  to  do.'"' 

"No — The  charity  will  be  quite  on  the  side  of  the  fair 
Katherine,  if  she  will  allow  a  weary  wayfarer  to  bask 
in  the  sunshine  of  her  presence  for  a  little  while." 

"Mr.  Strobridge,  you  are  talking  nonsense,  and  I  have 
not  a  moment's  time  to  waste  on  you." 

"I  love  to  talk  nonsense.  It  annoys  you,  and  I  want 
to  see  your  eyes  flash.  I  have  seen  them  laughing — and 
full  of  pain — and  snakily  cold.  Now  I  want  them  to 
flash — and  then  I  would  like  them  to  grow  tender. — 
They  would  be  divine  like  that." 

Katherine  sat  down  and  took  up  a  pen,  with  a  glance 
of  withering  indifference ;  then  she  began  to  address  the 
labels  of  the  packets  from  a  list. 

He  came  quite  close  to  her ;  he  was  feeling  a  number 
of  things. 

"What  a  temptress  you  are — aren't  you.'' — teasing 
me  like  this !" 

Katherine  now  opened  her  eyes  wide  and  stared  at 
him,  but  slic  did  not  move  away  an  inch. 

"The  whole  thing  is  only  in  your  imagination,"  she 
said,  calmly.  "You  are  a  proof  of  my  theory  that  per- 
sonal emotion  creates  appearance,  and  hides  reality." 

"You  understand  then  that  I  do  feel  emotion.'"' 
178 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

"Why,  of  course.  A  man  of  your  brains  and  culti- 
vation could  not  behave  in  so  foolish  a  way  otherwise." 

He  drew  back  and  leaned  against  the  mantelpiece 
while  he  laughed  shortly. 

Katherlne  continued  to  work. 

"I  am  merely  waiting  until  you  have  finished  directing 
those  confounded  parcels,  which  I  presume  are  for  this 
post — and  then  I  am  going  to  coax  you  to  talk  to  me 
— May  I  smoke.?" 

"Yes,  if  you  like — "  still  with  lowered  head. 

"Won't  you  have  a  cigarette.''" 

"Thanks." 

He  handed  her  one  from  his  case.  She  pulled  a  box 
of  matches  near  and  lit  it  casually,  going  on  with  her 
work  as  a  boy  might  have  done — There  was  no  knocking 
off  of  ash  or  graceful  movement  of  the  hand  in  the 
fashion  of  Lao,  who  loved  her  white  jewelled  fingers  to 
be  seen  to  advantage. 

Neither  of  them  spoke.  He  might  not  have  been  in 
the  room  as  far  as  she  was  concerned!  He,  on  the 
contrary,  was  profoundly  aware  of  her  presence.  Emo- 
tion such  as  he  had  not  felt  for  years  was  surging 
through  him. 

She  was  the  most  damnably  attractive  creature,  he 
thought,  he  had  ever  met.  She  awoke  primitive  pas- 
sions, and  stirred  his  blood.  There  was  that  intense 
note  of  reality  and  strength  about  her.  She  was  like 
some  dangerous  lazy  lioness.  She  made  him  feel  that 
civilisation  was  slipping  from  him,  and  that  he  could 
willingly  seize  her  for  a  jungle  mate. 

She,  however,  continued  to  smoke  and  to  write  for 
quite  ten  minutes,  until  all  the  parcels  were  addressed, 
and  several  papers  examined  and  annotated  and  filed. 
Then  she  looked  up.     His  eyes  had  never  left  her  face. 

179 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

"I  can't  think  how  you  can  stare  like  that,"  she  said, 
with  abominable  matter-of-factness.  "It  would  make 
me  blink." 

"I  can  enjoy  looking  at  the  sun — Now  are  those  in- 
fernal things  finished?  I  have  been  waiting  with  the 
patience  of  Job." 

"But  I  can't  think  what  for?" 

"To  talk  to  you." 

"Well,  talk  then!  I  must  do  some  typing,"  and  she 
got  up  and  went  to  her  machine,  which  was  on  another 
table  by  the  window.  She  knew  perfectly  well  that  she 
was  driving  him  mad;  it  gave  her  a  savage  pleasure, 
and  seemed  a  sort  of  balance  to  her  own  emotions  on 
Christmas  night  about  Algy. 

He  came  and  leant  against  the  mantelpiece  and  looked 
down  at  her  and  quoted  Dryden : 

"She  knows  her  man,  and  when  you  rant  and  swear 
Can  draw  you  to  her  with  a  single  hair." 

and  stretching  out  his  hand,  he  touched  for  an  instant 
the  faint  broad  waves  on  her  forehead. 

And  now  he  saw  her  eyes  flash  brilliantly  enough! 

"If  you  are  going  to  be  impertinent,  Mr.  Strobridge, 
the  staircase  into  the  garden  is  quite  close,  and  the 
sooner  you  find  your  way  to  it,  the  better  I  shall  be 
pleased.'" 

"I  would  not  be  impertinent  for  the  world — the  temp- 
tation was  overwhelming;  it  is  so  lovely,  your  hair — " 

His  voice  was  quite  sincere,  and  it  was  not  in  her 
plan  to  quarrel  with  him. 

"Very  well." 

"I  want  to  hear  so  many  things  about  you,  child — 
tell  me  what  made  you  come  to  my  aunt's? — I  some- 

180 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATIIERINE  BUSH 

how  cannot  ever  feel  that  you  should  be  in  any  depend- 
ent position." 

"I  came  to  educate  myself — I  do  not  mean  to  be  de- 
pendent always — What  do  you  do  in  the  Foreign  Of- 
fice?" 

He  gave  her  a  brief  sketch  of  his  days. 

"Well,  then,"  she  said,  "you  have  to  do  what  you 
are  told  to  also — nothing  matters  as  long  as  the  spirit 
is  not  dependent.  You  will  be  a  Chief  some  day,  I 
suppose?" 

"Perhaps — and  are  you  learning  here  ?" 

*'Yes — and  you  could  teach  me  if  you  liked." 

*'I  should  quite  adore  it — what  wages  should  I  have?" 

"None." 

"Then  that  means,  by  the  rules  of  all  games,  that  I 
should  be  working  for — love " 

She  shrugged  her  shoulders  and  put  in  another  piece 
of  paper  in  the  typing  machine.  She  had  no  intention 
of  talking  about — love 

"You  are  the  queerest  creature — you  make  me  feel 
— I  do  not  know  what — Well,  if  you  won't  discuss  wages 
— tell  me  what  I  am  to  teach  you?" 

"Literature — Do  you  remember  a  day  when  I  came 
in  and  had  coffee  in  the  dining-room? — It  was  before 
you  knew  I  existed — You  and  Her  Ladyship  talked  of 
the  things  then  which  I  would  like  you  to  talk  to  me 
about." 

"Yes,  was  it  not  strange? — I  must  have  been  blind 
all  those  weeks." 

The  sphinxlike  smile  hovered  round  Katherine's 
mouth;  it  was  enigmatic  and  horribly  tantahzing. 
Gerard  Strobridge  felt  a  rush  of  wild  emotion  again ; 
the  temptation  to  seize  her  in  his  arms  and  passionately 
kiss  those  mocking  lips  almost  overcame  him.     It  is 

181 


THE  CABEER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

quite  doubtful  what  might  have  eventuated,  if  at  that 
moment  he  had  not  caught  sight  of  old  Colonel  Haw- 
thorne in  the  rose  garden.  He  had  come  out  through 
the  siime  little  door  which  Kathcrine  used,  the  passage 
from  which,  on  the  ground  floor,  led  to  the  smoking- 
room.     He  waved  his  hand  and  beckoned  to  Gerard. 

It  broke  the  spell,  and  drove  some  sense  into  the 
latter's  head. 

"Colonel  Hawthorne  is  calling  you ;  had  not  you 
better  go  and  get  some  air?"  Miss  Bush  suggested 
graciously.  "It  would  be  most  beneficial,  I  am  sure,  to 
you,  on  this  fine  morning!" 

"I  daresay  you  are  right — Well,  I  will  go — only  some 
day  perhaps  you  will  pay  me  some  wages  after  all!" 

"Is  that  a  threat?" 

"Not  in  the  least" ;  he  went  towards  the  door.  "Don't 
be  cross — and  when  you  have  time  will  you  come  and 
see  the  pictures  in  the  gallery?" 

"Yes — I  would  love  that,"  and  her  face  brightened. 
*'But  you  had  better  ask  Lady  Garribardine  if  I  may." 

"All  right — Leave  it  to  me — Au  revoir!"  and  he  was 
gone. 

As  he  went  down  the  stairs,  he  thought  that  it  was 
a  good  idea  of  his  aunt's  to  have  had  the  smoking-room 
removed  to  this  wing  of  the  house.  It  had  only  been 
done  that  autumn,  so  that  the  shooters  could  go 
straight  in  if  they  pleased,  by  the  side  door. 

Kathcrine  did  not  continue  her  typing  for  a  moment 
after  she  was  left  alone.  Her  brows  were  contracted. 
She  was  thinking  deeply. 

Mr.  Strobridge  miglit  not  be  quite  so  easy  to  rule  as 
Charlie  Prodgcrs.  Slie  liad  heard  that  thoroughbred 
racers  required  the  lightest  hand,  and  also  that  there 
were  moments  when  nothing  would  control  them,  neither 

182 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

bridle,  nor  whip,  nor  spur.  She  must  think  out  her 
plan  of  action  coolly.  It  was  necessary  for  what  she 
required  of  him  that  his  desire  to  please  her  should  sur- 
mount all  other  things.  At  the  present  stage  it  would 
be  difficult  to  get  him  to  talk  sense — but  she  would  do 
her  best  to  make  him  do  so.  This  point  settled,  she 
went  on  with  her  work  again  undisturbed. 

Gerard  Strobridge  found  old  Tom  Hawthorne  a  tire- 
some companion,  on  their  prowl  round  the  stables,  and 
soon  escaped  to  his  aunt's  sitting-room ;  he  must  some- 
how arrange  for  Katherine  to  see  the  pictures  with  him 
after  lunch. 

Lady  Garribardine  was  reading  the  Times  when  he 
came  in,  and  looked  up  delightedly.  She  enjoyed  con- 
verse with  her  favourite  at  any  hour. 

They  talked  of  many  things ;  politics  in  chief.  Her 
Ladyship's  views  were  Tory  to  the  backbone,  but  she 
had  a  speculative  cynical  lightness  which  leavened  any 
retrogressive  tendencies.  Gerard  often  disagreed  with 
her  just  to  draw  out  her  views.  She  loathed  the  Rad- 
ical government.  It  aroused  her  fiercest  sarcasms  and 
contempt. 

How  could  such  a  class  of  people,  she  argued,  from 
their  heredity,  no  matter  what  clever  brains  they  had, 
have  the  right  qualities  in  them  to  enable  them  to  govern 
England?  How  could  they  with  personal  and  financial 
axes  to  grind  possibly  concentrate  honestly  upon  the 
welfare  of  the  country  above  their  own  necessities.'*  It 
was  quite  ridiculous  in  logic,  whether  their  views  were 
Radical  or  Tory.  The  supreme  voice  in  the  govern- 
ment of  a  country  should  only  be  in  the  hands  of  those 
raised  by  their  position  above  all  temptation  for  merelv 
personal  aggrandisement,  so  that  the  glory  of  the  coun- 
try could  be  their  legitimate  and  undivided  aim.     It 

183 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

could  not  be  that  the  little  Mr.  Browns  and  Greens  with 
their  parochial  lawyer  instincts  and  bitter  class  hatreds, 
greedy  for  their  salaries  and  own  advancement,  could 
rise  to  the  necessary  heights  of  sublime  prevision  to 
enable  them  to  see  far  enough  ahead  to  have  the  final 
decision  on  any  great  question.  She  was  all  in  favour 
of  the  most  advanced  views  for  the  advantage  and  rais- 
ing of  the  lower  classes  in  freedom  and  education,  no 
matter  from  which  side  they  emanated.  But  she  re- 
sented the  pushing  up  of  individuals  totally  unfit  in 
integrity  of  character  for  the  positions  of  authority 
they  occupied,  and  who  year  after  year  were  exposed 
as  having  in  some  way  lowered  the  standard  of  honour 
in  their  office. 

She  would  receive  none  such  in  her  house. 

"I  eat  with  no  one  who  lowers  the  prestige  of  my 
country  in  the  eyes  of  other  nations,"  she  declared. 
"Making  us  a  laughing-stock  in  Europe  where  we  were 
once  great !" 

And  for  her  that  settled  matters ! 

Mr.  Strobridge  coasted  warily  among  the  shoals  of 
her  opinions,  and  gradually  got  the  conversation  on 
the  topic  of  the  pictures  in  the  gallery,  some  of  which 
she  really  thought  ought  to  be  sent  to  London  to  be 
cleaned — had  Gerard  noticed  lately.'' — particularly  two 
early  Italians?  This  was  a  most  fortunate  suggestion! 
Mr.  Strobridge  had  noticed — and  had  meant  to  speak 
about  them. 

*'We  must  have  a  critical  examination  to-day  after 
luncheon  while  the  light  is  good.  One  ought  not  to 
delay  over  such  matters." 

He  knew  incidently  that  his  aunt  was  going  to  drive 
Tom  Plawthorne  into  the  town  in  her  phaeton,  to  try 
a  new  pair  of  cobs  which  she  had  bought  just  before 

184 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

Christmas,  and  would  be  starting  the  moment  that  meal 
was  finished — but  he  showed  just  the  right  amount  of 
regret  and  surprise  when  she  informed  him  of  this  fact. 

"Never  mind.  I  will  go  round  alone,  or  better  still, 
if  you  could  spare  Miss  Bush  for  an  hour,  I  will  get 
her  to  make  shorthand  notes  of  what  I  think  should  be 
done  to  each  picture." 

Lady  Garribardine  looked  at  her  nephew  shrewdly; 
his  face  was  innocent  as  a  babe's. 

"I  believe  Miss  Bush  would  make  quite  an  agreeable 
companion  in  a  picture  gallery,"  she  remarked. 

"I  am  sure  you  are  perfectly  right." 

Then  they  both  laughed. 

*'G.,  you  won't  flirt  with  the  girl,  will  you,  and  turn 
her  head.'^" 

"The  sad  part  of  the  affair  is  that  it  is  the  girl  who 
is  more  likely  to  turn  my  head.  Her  own  is  far  too 
well  screwed  on." 

"Upon  my  word,  I  believe  you !  Well,  then,  innocent 
of  thirty-five,  don't  be  beguiled  into  idiocy  by  this  com- 
petent seductrice  of  twenty-two ! — If  you  were  forty- 
five  there  would  be  no  hope  for  you,  but  a  glimmer  of 
sanity  may  remain  in  the  thirties !" 

"She  is  attractive.  Seraphim — and  will  love  to  see 
the  pictures.  She  says  she  wants  to  learn  about  art 
and  literature — and  kindred  thing's." 

"And  you  have  offered  to  teach  her.?" 

Mr.  Strobridge  put  on  a  modest  air,  while  his  humor- 
ous grey  eyes  met  his  aunt's  merrily. 

"I  have  applied  for  the  post  of  tutor — with  no  salary 
attached." 

"She  won't  put  up  with  inefficiency ;  you  will  have  to 
keep  your  wits  at  high-water  mark,  then." 

"I  feel  that." 

185 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

"Well,  G.,  perhaps  you  deserve  a  treat.  The  Christ- 
mas entertainment  I  had  provided  for  you  in  the  way 
of  Liio  fell  rather  flat,  did  it  not !" 

"One  grows  tired  of  souffle." 

"Yes,  but  do  not  forget  that  more  substantial  food 
can  cause  shocking  indigestion,  unless  partaken  of  with 
moderation." 

"Heavens,  Seraphim !  I  am  no  gourmand !" 

"Gerard,  my  dear  boy — you  are  at  a  stage  of  hunger, 
I  fear,  when  intelligence  may  not  guide  discretion.  You 
see.  Nature  is  apt  to  break  out  after  years  of  artificial 
repression." 

"We  are  overcivilised,  I  admit." 

At  that  moment,  the  luncheon-gong  sounded  and  they 
both  rose  from  their  chairs. 

Lady  Garribardine  slipped  her  fat  hand  into  her 
nephew's  arm,  as  they  went  down  the  stairs. 

"G. — I  leave  the  afternoon  to  you — only  don't  bum 
your  fingers  irretrievably ;  this  young  woman  is  no  fool 
like  poor  Lao.  I  look  upon  her  as  a  rather  marvellous 
product  of  the  twentieth  century." 


CHAPTER    XVII 

AFTER  lunch  the  two  in  the  picture  gallery  passed 
a  perfectly  delightful  half-hour.  Mr.  Strobridge 
had  sagacity  enough  to  know  that  he  must  stick 
loyally  to  art,  and  indeed  after  the  first  few  minutes  he 
found  he  was  carried  away  himself,  his  listener  was  so 
interested,  and  gave  such  intelligent  response.  He  al- 
most began  to  believe  that  she  had  really  come  there  to 
learn  something;  and  not  to  flirt  with  himself!  Her 
taste  also  surprised  him,  and  her  want  of  all  pose. 

She  wrote  systematically  the  reflections  he  made  as 
to  the  condition  of  the  canvases. 

"It  is  a  great  thing  to  learn  how  to  look  at  pictures," 
she  said  when  they  halted  before  a  particularly  primi- 
tive Madonna.  "Of  course  I  could  not  have  seen  any- 
thing to  admire  in  this  if  I  had  come  by  myself,  and 
I  do  not  suppose  that  I  shall  ever  be  able  really  to 
appreciate  it — except  the  colour — because  there  is 
something  in  me  which  likes  the  real  so  much  better 
than  the  ideal;  I  like  prose  far  more  than  poetry,  for 
instance," 

"Will  3'ou  let  me  come  up  again  to  the  schoolroom 
and  read  to  you  some  day.f^" 

"I  should  like  that  very  much." 

"I  would  try  to  make  you  love  poetry;  you  are  en- 
deavouring to  convince  me  that  you  are  a  very  material 
young  woman,  you  know !" 

"Well,  I  suppose  I  am  material.  I  like  facts  and 
solid  things." 

187 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

"And  yet  you  spoke  of  dreamland  once  not  so  very 
long  ago — do  you  remember !" 

"Yes — but  you  do  not  know  that  this  dreamland  of 
mine  may  not  be  a  place  where  wishcd-for  facts  and 
solid  things  appear  realities,  not  fancies." 

"You  would  not  tell  me  if  I  asked  you ;  I  recollect 
how  3'ou  eluded  me  before,  and  said  it  was  a  place  which 
only  admitted  3'oursclf." 

"Even  materialists  must  have  some  corner  where  they 
can  be  alone." 

Then  he  questioned  her. — How  had  she  learned  all 
that  she  knew.'' — And  his  Interest  did  not  diminish  when 
she  gave  him  a  brief  outline  of  the  manner  of  her  educa- 
tion. 

"It  was  very  difficult  sometimes,  because  I  never  had 
anyone  with  whom  to  talk,  and  one  grows  one-sided  if 
one  has  only  oneself  to  argue  with,  and  I  don't  really 
know  how  to  pronounce  numbers  of  words.  I  should 
be  grateful  if  you  would  tell  me  every  time  I  make  a 
mistake." 

"It  is  quite  evident  that  we  must  ratify  this  compact 
that  I  shall  be  your  tutor,  though  I  am  to  get  no  wages 
— even  love!" 

"Who  would  be  supposed  to  give  the  love.''" 

Her  strange  eyes  glanced  at  him  provokingly  for  a 
second,  and  then  resumed  their  steady  look.  He  was 
quite  uncertain  as  to  whether  in  this  there  lay  a  chal- 
lenge.— He  proceeded  to  act  as  if  there  did. 

"When  I  come  up  to  give  my  first  lesson  I  will  tell 
you  all  about  the  giving — and  taking — of  love." 

"That  would  be  of  no  advantage  to  either  of  us.  Love 
is  a  thing  which  can  cause  only  pain." 

"You  are  quite  mistaken — it  is  the  only  divine  joy 
in  this  unsatisfactory  world." 

188 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATIIERINE  BUSH 

Her  face  changed;  she  felt  tliis  was  cruelly  true — • 
and  she  did  not  wish  to  be  reminded  of  the  fact. 

"You  shall  only  come  to  the  schoolroom  if  you  talk 
sense.  I  will  not  listen  to  a  word  of  speculation  about 
love ;  it  is  pure  waste  of  time — but  in  any  case  I  do  not 
see  how  you  can  come  there  at  all.  I  would  not  receive 
3'ou  without  Her  Ladyship's  permission — it  was  very 
kind  of  her  to  let  me  have  this  afternoon." 

"What  a  circumspect  darling!" 

Miss  Bush  looked  at  him  with  scorn. 

"I  am  not  a  darling — I  am  a  lower  middle  class  young 
woman,  trying  to  learn  how  to  be  a  lady,  and  whatever 
you  think,  if  you  want  to  be  with  me,  you  will  have  to 
treat  me  as  if  I  had  arrived  at  my  goal  already." 

"I  think  you  have,  but  the  greatest  ladies  are  often 
darlings." 

"Yes,  but  married  men  do  not  tell  them  so,  on  very 
short  acquaintance,  Mr.  Strobridge." 

In  his  case  he  felt  this  was  rather  true,  since  he  never 
spoke  to  girls  at  all  if  he  could  help  it.  He  suddenly 
wondered  in  what  light  he  really  did  consider  her? — ^As 
an  abstract  and  quite  adorably  provoking  woman,  he 
supposed. 

"Is  there  anything  else  to  be  written  down?"  she 
asked.  She  had  become  the  conventional  secretary. 
"Because  if  not,  I  must  go  back  to  my  work." 

"My  aunt  gave  me  full  permission  to  keep  you  for 
two  hours.  I  told  her  all  we  had  to  do  would  take  quite 
that  time." 

"Well,  you  see  it  has  not — we  have  come  to  the  end 
of  the  gallery." 

"Then  there  is  a  very  comfortable  sofa  not  too  far 
from  the  fire,  where  we  could  sit  down  and  discuss  what 
we  have  learned." 

189 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

They  walked  to  it.  As  long  as  he  was  being  of  some 
use  to  her  Katherine  Bush  desired  his  company.  So 
they  talked  uninterruptedly  until  dusk  fell,  and  the 
footmen  would  soon  be  coming  to  close  shutters  and 
draw  curtains. 

They  flitted  from  subject  to  subject,  Gerard  Stro- 
bridge  exerting  his  brain  to  interest  and  amuse  her,  in 
a  wa}'  that  he  had  seldom  done  with  Englishwomen,  even 
of  his  own  class.  Her  receptive  power  was  exceptional, 
and  she  was  completely  frank.  She  was  honestly  and 
deeply  interested  in  all  he  had  to  say,  and  the  subtle 
flattery  of  this  was  eminently  soothing.  He  began  to 
take  pride  in  his  pupil.  They  touched  upon  the  spirit 
of  the  Renaissance  and  its  origin — and  upon  all  the 
glorious  flood  of  light  which  it  brought  to  art  and  learn- 
ing. He  was  astonished  to  find  her  so  advanced  in 
certain  branches  of  literature,  and  absolutely  ignorant 
of  the  names  even  of  others — showing  that  it  had  merely 
been  chance  and  no  helping  hand  which  had  guided  her. 

"I  must  send  you  some  books  upon  the  Renaissance," 
he  said,  "if  you  will  let  me." 

"That  will  be  very  kind — If  I  had  had  some  master 
to  give  me  an  idea  what  to  read,  as  a  kind  of  basis  to  go 
upon,  it  would  have  been  much  better,  but  I  had  no 
guide — only  if  I  saw  one  subject  that  I  did  not  know 
about  mentioned  in  what  I  was  reading,  I  looked  it  up, 
but  of  course  with  really  educated  people  there  must  be 
some  plan." 

"Well,  shall  we  begin  upon  the  Renaissance;  that  is 
ratlicr  a  favourite  period  of  mine.''" 

"Yes — do  you  not  wonder  if  we  shall  ever  have  an- 
other.'*— What  a  lot  of  good  it  would  do  us,  would  it 
not.^" 

"Probably — some  learned  professors   think  that  we 
190 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

must  go  through  a  second  scries  of  dark  ages  first;  when 
we  shall  get  back  to  primitive  ideas — and  primitive 
passions." 

"It  may  be, — nearly  everything  natural  is  distorted 
now;  the  world  seems  so  tired  to  mc,  just  looking  on." 

He  stretched  himself  and  threw  out  his  arms — as  it 
were  to  break  some  imaginary  bonds. 

"Yes — we  have  been  coerced  into  false  morals  and 
manners — and  we  have  suppressed  most  things  which 
make  life  worth  having — sometimes  I  envy  the  beasts." 

"I  never  do  that — it  is  only  weaklings  who  are 
coerced;  the  strong  do  what  they  please,  even  in  these 
days — but  however  strong  a  beast  may  be,  he  always 
finds,  as  Jack  London  shows  with  his  wonderful  Buck 
in  'The  Call  of  the  Wild,'  that  there  is  invariably  *the 
man  with  the  club.'  " 

"You  mean  to  conquer  fate,  then.^" 

"I  shall  do  my  very  best  to  obtain  my  desires,  and 
of  course  shall  have  to  pay  for  all  my  mistakes." 

He  looked  at  her  curiously — had  she  made  any  mis- 
takes.'' Not  many,  he  thought,  her  regard  was  so 
serene,  and  her  clever,  strong  face  showed  no  vacilla- 
tion. He  suddenly  faced  the  fact  that  he  was  falling 
in  love  with  her,  not  as  he  had  tried  to  do  with  Lao — 
not  even  as  he  had  once  succeeded  in  doing  with  Alice 
Southerwood,  long  ago.  There  was  a  quality  in  his 
present  feehng  which  almost  frightened  him,  it  was  so 
lawless. 

She  felt  his  eyes  searching  hers  burningly,  and  rose 
from  the  sofa. 

"Now  I  am  going  to  have  my  tea — so  good-bye  for 
to-day.     I  have  really  enjoyed  the  pictures." 

"May  not  I  come  and  have  tea  with  you.''  I  am  all 
alone." 

191 


THE  CABEER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

"Certainly  not — IMartha  would  be  scandalised.  It 
does  seem  so  extraordinary  that  I  should  have  to  tell 
you  such  things — it  shows  either  great  disrespect  to 
me,  or  else — " 

"What?"  eagerly.  He  had  risen,  too,  and  was  fol- 
lowing her  as  she  walked  down  the  long  room. 

" — That  you  cannot  help  yourself." 

"Yes — that  is  it.  You  have  bewitched  mc  in  some 
way — I  cannot  help  myself." 

"Do  3'ou  want  all  I  have  taken  down  typewritten.'*  I 
can  do  it  after  tea,  if  so?" 

"And  you  will  sit  up  there  all  by  yourself  from  now 
until  you  go  to  bed?" 

"Of  course." 

*'You  must  feel  awfully  solitary." 

"Not  in  the  least.  I  have  books  which  are  the  most 
agreeable  companions.  They  have  no  independent  moods 
— you  can  be  sure  of  them,  and  pick  up  those  which 
suit  yourself.     Good-night." 

And  she  turned  at  the  bend  of  the  great  staircase 
from  which  the  gallery  opened,  and  rapidly  walked  on 
to  the  entrance  to  her  passage. 

He  looked  after  her  with  a  rapt  face,  and  then  he 
went  discontentedly  down  into  the  library,  and  waited 
for  his  aunt's  return. 

He  was  extremely  disturbed ;  it  was  horribly  tantaliz- 
ing to  feel  that  this  girl  whom  he  was  so  passionately 
drawn  to,  was  there  in  the  house  with  him,  and  that  he 
might  not  talk  with  her  further,  or  be  in  her  presence. 

He  walked  up  and  down  the  room — and  those  v/ho 
knew  the  casual  Gerard  Strobridge,  cultivated,  polished 
and  self-contained,  would  have  been  greatly  surprised 
could  they  have  seen  his  agitated  pacings. 

Lady   Garribardine   had    a   quizzical  eye  when   she 

19S 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATIIERINE  BUSH 

finally  came  in — how  had  the  afternoon  progressed?  Her 
opinion  of  the  mental  balance  of  her  secretary  was  ex- 
ceedingly high.  She  felt  convinced  that  she  would  know 
exactly  how  to  tackle  her  nephew,  and  if  Gerard  desired 
to  amuse  himself  he  would  certainly  do  so  whether  she 
smiled  upon  the  affair  or  not ! 

It  did  strike  her  that  he  was  rather  a  dangerous 
creature  to  be  left  a  free  hand  with  any  young  woman 
— and  that  after  to-day  she  would  see  that  Katherine 
ran  no  more  risks  from  too  much  of  his  company. 

The  pupils  of  his  eyes  were  rather  dilated,  she 
noticed ;  otherwise  he  seemed  his  usual  self  at  tea — and 
when  Colonel  Hawthorne  left  them  alone,  she  got  him 
to  read  to  her,  and  did  not  mention  her  secretary  at  all. 

The  afternoon  had  been  most  instructive,  Katherine 
thought,  as  she  ate  her  muflSn,  and  looked  at  the  papers 
before  the  old  schoolroom  fire.  She  had  learned  a  quan- 
tity of  things.  Mr.  Strobridge  was  undoubtedly  a 
charming  man,  and  she  wondered  what  effect  he  would 
have  had  upon  her  if  she  had  never  met  Algy.^*  As  it 
was  he  mattered  no  more  than  a  chair  or  a  table,  he 
was  just  part  of  her  game.  And  he  was  rapidly  ap- 
proaching the  state  when  she  could  obtain  complete 
dominion  over  him. 

"He  knows  quite  well  that  he  is  married  and  that  I 
can  never  honestly  be  anything  to  him.  He  is  only 
coming  after  me  because  he  is  attracted  and  is  not 
master  of  his  passions  or  his  will.  If  he  is  a  weakling 
he  must  paj'^  the  price — I  shall  not  care!  He  is  not 
thinking  in  the  least  as  to  whether  or  no  it  will  hurt 
me — he  is  only  thinking  of  himself,  just  like  Bob  Hart- 
ley, only  he  is  a  gentleman  and  therefore  docs  not  make 
any  hypocritical  promises  to  try  to  lure  me." 

And  then  she  laughed  softly.  "Well,  whatever  comes 
193 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

is  on  his  own  head,  I  need  have  no  mercy  upon  him !" 
So  she  calmly  finished  her  tea  and  wrote  to  Matilda 
whose  excited  letter  with  the  family  news  of  Gladys' 
secret  marriage  she  had  not  yet  replied  to.  Gladys 
had  written  her  a  little  missive  also — full  of  thanks  for 
her  part  in  the  affair.  Bob  was  being  rather  rude  and 
unkind  to  her  about  it,  she  said,  but  it  was  not  alto- 
gether his  fault,  because  on  Christmas  night  he  had 
had  rather  too  much  to  drink,  and  had  been  quarrel- 
some for  two  days  since.  She  was  going  to  keep  the 
expected  event  from  being  known  as  long  as  possible, 
and  then  she  supposed  they  would  go  and  live  some- 
where together.  It  would  be  wretched  poverty  and 
struggle,  and  she  was  miserable,  but  at  least  she  felt  an 
"honest  woman,"  and  could  not  be  grateful  enough  to 
her  sister  for  bringing  this  state  of  things  about.  Kath- 
erine  stared  into  the  fire  while  she  thought  over  it  all. 
It  seemed  to  her  too  astonishing  that  a  woman  should 
prefer  a  life  tied  to  a  man  who  was  reluctant  to  keep 
her — his  drudge  and  the  object  of  his  scorn — to  one  of 
her  own  arranging  in  America,  perhaps — along  with 
the  child,  but  free.  Gladys  had  sufficient  talent  in  her 
trade  to  have  earned  good  wages  anywhere,  and  must 
have  enough  money  saved,  could  she  have  got  it  from 
Matilda's  fond  guardian  clutches,  to  have  tided  over 
the  time.  But  weaklings  must  always  suffer  and  be 
other  people's  slaves  and  tools.  Poor  Gladys !  Then 
she  fell  to  tliinking  of  Algy — why  was  he  haunting  her? 
For  the  first  month  the  complacent  satisfaction  from 
the  conquest  of  self  had  upheld  her  splendidly,  but  now 
the  pain  felt  as  keen  as  on  the  first  day  of  separation. 
She  would  crush  it. 

Except  on  the  path  coming  out  of  church  she  had  no 
words  with  Mr.  Strobridge  on  the  morrow — and  then 

194 


THE  CAIIEER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

it  was  only  a  few  sentences  of  ordinary  greeting.  Lady 
Garribardine  claimed  his  entire  attention.  She  did  see 
him  from  the  window,  smoking  a  cigar  in  the  rose  gar- 
den in  the  afternoon,  whither  he  had  come  from  the 
smoking-room.  She  deliberately  let  him  catch  sight  of 
her,  as  she  stood  there,  and  she  marked  the  look  of 
eager  joy  on  his  face,  and  then  she  moved  away  and  did 
not  appear  again. 

So  the  Monday  arrived — the  last  day  of  the  old  year. 

Lady  Garribardine  was  having  no  party  for  it  as 
was  her  usual  custom;  her  rheumatism  was  rather 
troublesome,  and  she  stayed  in  the  house  all  the  day,  up 
in  her  boudoir,  where  Katherine  was  in  constant  at- 
tendance. 

Gerard  and  Colonel  Hawthorne  were  out  rabbiting 
with  the  keepers  in  the  park,  and  only  came  in  to  tea. 

Katherine  found  her  mistress  rather  exacting  and 
difficult  to  please,  and  she  felt  tired  and  cross — so  it 
gave  her  some  kind  of  satisfaction  to  be  as  provoking^ 
as  possible  when  she  was  ordered  to  pour  out  the  tea 
for  the  shooters  in  the  sitting-room.  She  remained  per- 
fectly silent,  but  every  now  and  then  allowed  her  mag- 
netic e3'es  to  meet  Mr,  Strobridge's  with  the  sphinx- 
like smile  in  them. 

On  his  side  Gerard  had  found  the  hours  hell. — He 
knew  he  was  now  madly  in  love  with  this  exasperating 
girl,  and  that  she  was  exercising  the  most  powerful  at- 
traction upon  him. 

He  gazed  at  her  as  she  sat  there,  white  and  sensuous- 
looking,  her  red  lips  pouting,  and  her  grey-green  eyes 
full  of  some  unconscious  challenge,  and  gradually  wild 
excitement  grew  in  his  blood. 

As  soon  as  her  actual  duties  were  over,  Katherine 
said  respectfully: 

195 


THE  CAEEER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

"If  Your  Ladyship  lias  no  more  need  of  me,  I  must 
get  some  letters  finished  before  the  post  goes." 

And  when  a  nod  of  assent  was  given,  she  quietly  left 
the  room. 

So  Gerard  Strobridge  knew  he  would  see  her  no  more 
that  night;  and  there  would  be  a  boring  dinner  with 
the  parson,  and  his  wife  and  daughter,  to  be  got 
through,  and  on  the  morrow  he  was  returning  to  town ! 

For  the  first  time  in  their  lives  he  felt  resentful 
towards  his  aunt.  That  Seraphim  should  not  have  been 
more  sympathetic,  and  have  made  some  opportunity  for 
him  to  talk  again  to  Katherinc,  was  quite  too  bad ! 

She,  who  usually  understood  all  his  moods  and  wants ! 
Her  silence  upon  the  subject  of  her  secretary,  ever  since 
her  return  from  that  drive,  was  ominous,  now  that  he 
thought  about  it.  Evidently  he  need  hope  for  no  fur- 
ther cooperation  from  her,  and  because  he  was  feeling 
so  deeply,  he  could  not  act  in  the  casual  and  intelligent 
way  to  secure  his  ends  which  he  would  have  used  on 
other  occasions.  So  the  incredibly  wearisome  evening 
passed.  The  guests  left  early,  and  Lady  Garribardine 
went  gladly  to  bed,  leaving  her  nephew  and  Colonel 
Hawthorne  to  drink  in  the  New  Year  together — the 
New  Year  of  1912. 

But  the  old  gentleman  was  fatigued  with  his  day's 
shooting  and  when  half-past  eleven  came  he  was  glad 
to  slink  off  to  his  friendly  couch. 

Thus  Gerard  was  alone. 

lie  lit  a  cigar  and  stretched  himself  in  a  huge  leather 
armchair,  an  untouched  drink  close  at  hand. 

The  house  was  quite  silent.  He  had  told  Bronson 
that  he  would  put  out  the  lights  in  the  smoking-room 
when  tlicy  left.  No  one  was  about  and  not  a  breath 
of  wind  stirred  a  tree  outside. 

196 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

He  sat  there  for  some  minutes — and  then  his  heart 
began  to  beat  violently. 

Whose  was  that  soft  football  directly  overhead? 
With  the  departure  of  the  grandchildren  from  the  old 
nurseries  there  was  no  one  left  in  the  wing  but  Katherine 
Bush ! 

All  sorts  of  visions  came  to  him ;  she  had  not  yet 
gone  to  bed — perhaps  she,  too,  was  waiting  for  the  New 
Year? 

He  got  up  and  listened,  his  pulses  bounding  so  that 
he  seemed  to  hear  his  heart  thumping  against  his  side. 

There  was  the  sound  again ! 

It  was  not  to  be  endured.  Fierce  emotion  shook  him, 
and  at  last  all  restraint  fell  from  him,  and  passion  be- 
came lord. 

Then  he  extinguished  the  lights  and  softly  crept  up 
the  stairs. 


CHAPTER    XVin 

KATHERINE  had  that  instant  removed  her 
dressing-gown  after  the  brushing  of  her  hair, 
which  now  hung  in  two  long  plaits.  She  was  in 
the  act  of  slipping  into  bed.  The  carpet  in  the  passage 
was  thick,  and  she  heard  no  sounds,  so  that  the  first 
thing  which  startled  her  was  the  actual  opemng  of  the 
door  of  her  room,  which  it  had  not  been  her  custom  to 
lock. 

For  one  second  a  blind  terror  shook  her,  and  then  all 
her  nerve  and  resource  returned.  She  stood  there 
magnificent  in  her  anger  and  resentment.  She  had  no 
female  instinct  instantly  to  seize  the  dressing-gown  to 
cover  herself.  She  stood  straight  up  in  her  cheap  nain- 
sook nightgown,  all  the  beautiful  lines  of  her  tall,  slen- 
der figure  showing  in  the  soft  shaded  light. 

Gerard  Strobridge  was  like  a  man  drunk  with  wine. 
His  eye  flamed  and  he  trembled  with  excitement.  The 
bed,  a  small  old  wooden  one,  was  between  them  with  a 
writing-table  at  the  foot.  So  that  to  reach  her  he  must 
go  round  by  the  fire. 

This  he  did,  while  he  whispered  hoarsely: 

"Katherinc — I  love  you — madly — I  had  to  come  to 
you,  darling  girl!"  Then  he  stopped  within  a  few  feet 
of  her,  literally  sobered  by  the  expression  of  her  face. 
It  showed  not  an  atom  of  fear — rather  the  proud  con- 
tempt of  an  empress  ordering  the  death  of  a  presuming 
filave. 

She  did  not  speak  for  a  moment ;  she  seemed  to  draw 
198 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

up  to  her  full  height,  and  even  to  grow  taller;  she  was 
only  an  inch  or  two  less  than  himself.  And  if  the  scorn 
of  eyes  could  kill,  he  would  have  lain  there  dead. 

"Darling!"  he  cried,  and  went  forward  to  take  her 
in  his  arms. 

She  stepped  back  only  one  step  and  spoke  at  last, 
her  deep  tones  low. 

"If  you  dare  to  touch  me,  I  will  kill  you — I  am  not 
afraid  of  you,  3'ou  know — You  are  only  a  beast,  after 
all — and  I  am  the  man  with  the  club." 

"Beautiful  fiend  !" — but  he  hesitated — He  was  no 
coward,  and  cared  not  a  jot  for  her  threats,  only  his 
fastidiousness  was  assailed  by  the  thought  of  a  strug- 
gling, fighting  woman  in  his  embrace,  when  he  had  come 
there  for — Love!  It  would  be  wiser,  perhaps,  to  cajole 
her.  He  was  too  intoxicated  with  passion  to  realise 
that  it  would  also  seem  more  dignified ! 

"Katherine,  do  not  be  so  horribly  unkind,  darling 
girl !  I  love  you  wildly,  I  tell  you,  and  I  want  you  to 
be  mine." 

"What  for.^*"  She  was  perfectly  calm  still,  and  never 
moved  from  her  place. 

"That  we  may  be  happy,  you  sweet  thing.  I  want 
to  hold  you  in  my  arms  and  caress  you,  and  make  us 
both  forget  that  there  is  anything  else  in  the  whole  wide 
world  but  our  own  two  selves  !" 

And  exalted  by  this  enchanting  picture,  he  drew  a 
little  closer  and  held  out  his  hands. 

"I  tell  you  plainly — if  you  come  one  step  nearer  to 
me,  you  do  so  at  your  own  risk.  I  will  tear  the  flesh 
from  your  face  with  my  nails,  and  strangle  you."  Her 
voice  was  absolutely  deadly  in  its  icy  intentness.  "I 
am  not  weak,  and  I  despise  your  mean  action  in  coming 
here  to-night  too  greatly  to  have  any  fear." 

199 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

The  breeding  in  him  responded  to  this  sting. 

"My  mean  action — !"  but  his  voice  faltered  a  little, 
and  she  interrupted  him  before  he  could  argue  fur- 
ther. 

"Yes — I  am  a  dependent  in  your  aunt's  house  here, 
earning  my  living,  and  3'^ou  chance  my  being  disgraced 
and  sent  away  for  3^our  own  shamefully  selfish  ends.  In- 
deed, you  are  teaching  me  the  lesson  of  the  depth  to 
which  an  aristocrat  can  sink." 

He  drew  back,  and  some  of  the  fire  died  out  of  him. 
Her  words  cut  him  like  a  knife,  but  he  was  too  over- 
wrought with  emotion  yet  to  give  in  and  leave  her. 

"Katherine — my  darling — forgive  me !"  he  cried, 
brokenly.  "I  admit  I  am  mad  with  love,  but  you  shall 
never  suffer  for  it — give  yourself  to  me,  and  I  will  take 
you  away  from  all  drudgery.  You  shall  have  a  house 
where  you  like.  I  will  protect  you  and  teach  you  all 
you  desire  to  know.  You  shall  lead  an  intellectual  life 
worthy  of  your  brain.  We  can  travel  in  Italy  and 
France,  and  I  shall  worship  and  adore  you — Katherine, 
my  sweet !" 

The  tones  of  his  cultivated  voice  vibrated  with  deep 
feeling,  and  he  looked  all  that  was  attractive  as  he  stood 
there  in  his  faultless  evening  clothes,  pleading  to  her 
as  though  he  were  but  a  humble  suppliant  for  grace, 
and  she  a  queen. 

But  Katherine  was  not  in  the  least  touched,  although 
her  awakened  critical  faculties  realised  fully  the  agree- 
able companion  he  would  probably  make  as  a  lover,  with 
his  knowledge  of  the  world,  and  his  polished  homage 
to  women.  There  was  something  fierce  and  savagely 
primitive  at  this  moment  in  her  faithfulness  to  Algy. 
For  all  the  strongly  sensuous  side  of  her  nature,  any 
other  man's  caresses  appeared  revolting  to  her.    It  was 

200 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

the  man,  not  vien,  who  could  arouse  her  passionate 
sensibility. 

"You  ask  me  to  be  your  mistress,  then — is  that  it?" 
her  voice  was  coldly  level,  like  one  discussing  a  busi- 
ness proposition. 

His  whole  face  lit  up  again — there  was  hope  perhaps 
after  all. 

"Of  course,  darling — What  else.'"' 

"It  is  an  insult — but  I  am  not  concerned  with  that 
point.  My  views  are  perhaps  not  orthodox.  I  am 
merely  interested  in  my  side  of  the  affair,  which  is  that 
I  have  not  the  slightest  wish  for  the  post.  I  will  be 
no  man's  mistress — do  you  hear.'"' 

"Katherine,  can  I  not  make  you  love  me,  sweet.'"' 

She  laughed  softly.  It  was  a  dangerous  sound,  omin- 
ous as  that  which  a  lioness  might  make  when  she  purrs. 

"Not  if  you  stayed  on  your  knees  for  a  thousand 
years !  I  have  loved  one  man  in  my  life  with  the  kind 
of  love  which  you  desire — I  know  exactly  what  it  means, 
and  probably  I  shall  never  love  another  in  that  way — I 
sacrificed  him  for  my  idea.  I  had  will  enough  to  leave 
him,  feeling  for  him  what  perhaps  you  feel  for  me.  So 
do  you  think,  then,  that  you  could  move  me  in  the  least  1 
— You  whom  I  do  not  love,  but — despise !" 

All  this  time,  she  stood  there  utterly  desirable  in  her 
thin  raiment,  which  she  had  never  sought  to  cover.  In- 
deed, now  that  she  saw  that  she  was  going  to  win  the 
game,  she  took  joy  that  he  should  understand  what 
he  had  lost,  so  that  his  punishment  should  be  the  more 
complete:  there  was  nothing  pitiful  or  tender  about 
Katherine  Bush.  Her  strange,  strong  character  had 
no  mercy  for  a  man  who  had  shown  her  that  he  was  not 
master  of  himself — above  all  tilings,  she  admired  self- 
control. 

201 


rilE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

Gerard  Strobridge  suffered,  as  she  spoke,  as  perhaps 
he  had  never  done  in  his  life  before.  If  he  had  been  one 
whit  less  of  a  gentleman,  he  would  not  now  have  con- 
-quered  himself;  he  would  have  seized  her  in  his  arms, 
and  made  her  pay  for  her  scalding  words.  The  effect 
of  tradition  for  centuries,  however,  held  him  even  be- 
yond the  mad  longing  which  again  thrilled  through  his 
blood  as  he  looked  at  her. 

He  flung  himself  into  the  armchair  and  buried  his 
head  in  his  hands. 

"My  God !"  he  cried,  hoarsely,  "how  you  can  torture 

can  you  not.'*     I  knew  when  I  watched  you  in  church 

that  you  could  be  cruel  as  the  grave — but  I  thought  to- 
day when  you  looked  at  me  there  in  my  aunt's  sitting- 
room,  that  to  me  perhaps  you  meant  to  be  kind;  your 
face  is  tiie  essence  of  passion — it  would  deceive  any 
man." 

"Then  it  is  well  that  you  should  be  undeceived — and 
that  we  should  understand  one  another.  What  did  you 
think  you  would  gain  by  coming  here  to-night.'' — My 
seduction?  And  some  pleasure  for  yourself."  She  was 
horribly  scornful  again.  "You  never  thought  of  mc — 
It  does  not  matter  what  my  personal  views  are  about 
such  relations ;  3^ou  do  not  know  them,  and  I  do  not 
believe  that  I  have  given  you  reason  to  think  that  you 
might  treat  me  with  want  of  respect;  but  your  action 
shows  that  you  do  not  respect  me,  I  can  only  presume, 
because  of  mj'  dependent  position,  and  because  you 
despise  my  class — since  you  would  certainly  not  have 
behaved  so  to  any  of  your  aunt's  guests." 

He  writhed  a  little  at  her  taunt,  and  his  face  was 
haggard  now  as  he  looked  up  at  her. 

"There  is  no  use  in  my  asking  you  to  forgive  me — 
but  it  is  not  true  that  I  do  not  respect  you,  or  that  I 

202 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

have  acted  as  I  have  for  the  reason  that  I  despise  your 
class — That  is  a  hateful  thought.  I  came  here  to-night 
because  I  am  a  man — and  was  simply  mad  with  longing 
for  you  after  the  tantalization  of  the  last  two  days, 
and  never  being  able  to  speak  a  word  to  you."  His 
breath  came  rather  fast,  and  he  locked  together  his 
hands.  "I  love  you — I  would  have  come  had  you  been 
the  highest  lady  in  the  land.  My  action  was  not  pre- 
meditated— it  was  yielding  to  a  sudden  strong  tempta- 
tion because  I  was  sitting  there  in  the  smoking-room 
thinking  of  you,  and  I  heard  the  noise  of  your  soft 
footfall  overhead,  and  suddenly  all  the  furious  passion 
in  me  would  no  longer  be  denied  and  cried  out  for  you !" 

He  rose  and  came  over  to  her,  and  sitting  down  on 
the  edge  of  the  bed,  he  held  out  his  arms  to  her  in  sup- 
plication. "It  swept  away  all  the  civilisation  in  me. 
Nature  breaks  asunder  all  barriers  in  the  best  of  us  at 
times — and  you  are  so  adorably  dear — Katherine — 
darhng — I  have  done  this  thing,  and  now  it  is  too  late 
for  me  to  plead  for  your  pardon — but  I  love  you  more 
wildly  than  I  have  ever  loved  a  woman  in  my  life. — You 
could  make  me  your  slave,  Katherine,  if  you  would  only 
give  yourself  to  me.  I  would  chase  away  the  memory 
of  that  other  and  teach  3'ou  all  the  divine  things  of  love 
there  are  to  learn  in  life." 

She  moved  and  stood  by  the  fireplace.  She  was  shiver- 
ing a  little,  half  from  cold. 

"I  forbid  you  to  say  another  word  on  this  subject," 
she  said  gravely,  but  with  less  of  her  former  scorn. 
"Neither  you  nor  any  other  man  could  rob  me  of  the 
memory  of  my  once  dear  lover — but  I  would  rather  not 
hate  you — so  I  appeal  to  that  part  of  you  that  I  still 
think  is  a  gentleman  to  go  at  once  out  of  mj-^  room." 

He  followed  her  to  the  fire  almost  overcome  again  by 
203 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

the  picture  she  presented  in  her  straight  thin  garment, 
virgin  white  and  plain.  He  wildly  desired  to  unplait 
that  thick  soft  hair  and  bury  his  face  in  it — he  longed 
to  hold  her  to  his  heart.     But  he  restrained  himself. 

There  was  complete  silence  for  a  second  or  two,  and 
then  across  the  park  in  the  church  tower,  midnight 
pealed,  tolling  the  dying  year. 

They  both  lifted  their  heads  to  listen,  unconsciously 
counting  the  strokes,  and  then  when  the  last  one  struck, 
and  the  joyous  bells  rang  out,  something  in  their  sound 
melted  the  anger  and  contempt  in  Katherine's  soul.  She 
looked  at  him,  his  refined,  distinguished  face  very  pale 
and  utterly  dejected  now.  And  the  broad-minded,  level- 
headed judgment  which  she  brought  to  bear  on  all  mat- 
ters told  her  that  she  had  no  right  to  great  anger  and 
made  her  realise  for  the  first  time  that  she  was  actually 
to  blame  perhaps  for  this  situation  having  developed 
since  she  had  not  suflSciently  considered  what  might  be 
the  possible  result  of  arresting  a  man's  attention 
through  the  eyes  and  ears. 

"Listen,"  she  said  gently,  holding  out  her  beautiful 
hand.  "Here  is  the  New  Year — I  do  not  want  to  begin 
it  with  any  hard  thoughts — After  all,  I  understand  you 
— and  I  forgive  you.  I  believe  I  have  been  in  some 
measure  to  blame.  I  cannot  ever  be  your  love — but  I 
am  very  lonely — won't  you  be  my  true  knight  and 
friend?" 

She  had  touched  the  deepest  chord  of  his  being.  The 
tears  sprang  to  his  fine  grey  eyes ;  he  knelt  down  upon 
the  rug  and  bent  and  kissed  her  knees. 

"Indeed,  I  will — I  swear  it,  darling — And  whatever 
suffering  it  brings  to  mo,  I  will  never  make  you  regret 
3'our  sweet  forgiveness  of  me,  and  your  resumed  trust  in 
me  to-night." 

204 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATIIERINE  BUSH 


She  leaned  forward,  and  for  an  instant  smoothed  his 
thick  brown  hair  in  blessing. 

He  took  her  hands  and  kissed  the  palms,  and  then 
without  another  word,  he  rose  and  went  towards  the 
door.  There  he  turned  and  looked  at  her,  standing  in 
the  firelight,  the  dark  oak-panelled  room  only  lit  by  the 
one  small  electric-shaded  lamp  by  the  bed.  He  looked 
and  looked,  as  though  his  famished  eyes  must  surfeit 
themselves  with  the  vision.     It  was  fair  enough  to  see! 

And  then  he  noiselessly  quitted  the  room  and  went 
on  down  the  stairs  to  the  smoking-room  as  silently  as 
he  had  come. 


CHAPTER    XIX 

THE  months  went  by.  It  was  Easter  time  before 
Katherine  Bush  again  saw  Gerard  Strobridge. 
He  went  off  to  Egypt  about  the  middle  of  Jan- 
uary, and  Lady  Garribardine  was  up  in  London  for  a 
few  days  alone  before  he  left  seeing  her  grandchildren 
off.  Katherine  missed  him,  and  unconsciously  his  influ- 
ence directed  her  studies.  She  remembered  isolated  sen- 
tences that  he  had  used  in  their  talk  that  day  in  the 
picture  gallery.  He  had  certainly  shown  a  delightfully 
cultivated  mind,  and  she  wished  that  things  had  not 
reached  a  climax  so  soon  between  them.  She  regretted 
deeply  that  she  had  caused  him  any  pain  and  deter- 
mined never  to  deviate  from  loyal  friendship  so  that  he 
should  have  no  cause  to  suffer  further.  He  had  not  for- 
gotten about  the  books,  and  she  was  now  the  proud 
possessor  of  several  volumes  on  the  Renaissance,  in- 
cluding, of  course,  Symonds  and  Pater.  They  opened 
yet  another  door  in  her  imagination,  and  on  days  when 
she  was  not  A'cry  busy,  she  would  wander  in  the  picture 
gallery  and  go  over  all  the  examples  of  the  Italian 
masters  again  and  again,  and  try  to  get  the  atmosphere 
of  the  books. 

Lady  Garribardine  watched  her  silently  for  the  first 
few  weeks  after  her  nephew  went,  without  increasing 
their  intimacy.  Her  shrewd  mind  was  studying  Kath- 
erine, to  make  sure  that  she  had  made  no  mistake  about 
her.  3uch  a  very  deep  creature  might  have  sides  which 
would   make    her   regret   having   dropped    the    reserve 

206 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATIIERINE  BUSH 

which,  accompanied  by  a  high-handed  kindliness,  she 
showed  to  all  her  dependents. 

The  great  event  of  New  Year's  day  had  been  the  ad- 
vent of  the  grey  wig  so  beautifully  arranged  with  her 
ladyship's  own  snow-white  hair,  that  the  whole  thing 
seemed  growing  together!  With  her  dark,  sparkling 
eyes  and  jet  brows,  she  now  looked  an  extremely  hand- 
some old  lady ;  and  Katherine  who  did  not  see  her  until 
the  afternoon  when  they  were  alone,  was  unable  to  keep 
a  faint,  almost  inaudible  "Ah!"  of  admiration  from  es- 
caping, when  she  first  saw  her.  She  was  furious  with 
herself  and  bit  her  lip,  but  Lady  Garribardine  smiled. 

"You  would  say  something.  Miss  Bush.'*  Pray 
speak." 

Katherine  coloured  a  little;  she  felt  this  was  one  of 
those  slips  which  she  very  seldom  made,  but  frankness 
being  always  her  method,  she  answered  quietly : 

"I  only  thought  how  beautiful  Your  Ladyship  looked 
— ^just  like  the  Nattier  in  the  gallery." 

"You  find  my  grey  locks  an  improvement,  then.?" 

"Oh,  yes !" 

"The  Nattier  was  an  ancestress  of  mine. — ^A  French 
entanglement  of  a  great  great-grandfather,  which 
ended,  as  these  affairs  are  seldom  fortunate  enough  to 
do,  in  a  marriage  all  correct  with  the  church's  blessing 
— the  husband  being  most  conveniently  killed  in  a  duel 
with  another  man ! — So  the  then  d'Estaire  brought  her 
here  to  Blissington,  where  she  was  shockingly  bored, 
poor  thing!  and  died  a  year  or  two  after  producing  an 
heir  for  him.  When  I  was  young,  I  always  went  to 
fancy  balls  as  the  charming  creature — it  is  amusing 
that  3-ou  see  the  likeness  even  now." 

"It  is  very  striking." 

"I  always  felt  a  great  pity  for  her — transplanted 
207 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

from  Versailles  and  all  the  joys  of  the  Court,  to  this 
quiet,  English  home — Have  you  ever  read  Lord  Ches- 
terfield's letters  to  his  son,  girl?" 

Katherine  had  not. 

"Well,  then,  you  had  better  read  them;  there  is  a 
good  edition  in  the  library.  They  are,  you  will  find, 
the  most  instructive  things  in  English  literature.  If  I 
had  had  a  son,  I  would  have  brought  him  up  upon  them. 
I  was  reminded  of  them  now  by  thinking  of  my  twice 
great-grandmother.  Chesterfield  always  quotes  the 
French  nobles  of  that  date  as  the  ne  plus  ultra  of  good 
breeding,  and  rather  suggests  that  the  Englishmen  were 
often  boors  or  blockheads.  So  although  d'Estaire  may 
have  satisfied  her,  the  general  company  could  not  have 
done  so,  one  feels." 

"I  would  like  to  see  Versailles,"  Katherine  ventured 
to  remark. 

"You  will  some  day — I  may  go  to  Paris  after  Easter 
— one  must  have  clothes." 

Katherine  realised  this  necessity — ^hcr  own  wardrobe 
would  require  replenishing  by  the  springtime,  but  she 
had  not  dreamed  of  Paris. 

Her  immediate  action  after  this  was  to  get  from  the 
library  the  Chesterfield  Letters,  the  reading  of  which 
she  always  afterwards  looked  back  upon  as  being  the 
second  milestone  in  her  career.  She  devoured  them, 
and  learned  countless  advantageous  lessons  of  the  world 
therefrom.  The  first  and  chief  being  the  value  of  gra- 
ciousncss  and  good  manners.  She  now  began  to  realise 
that  her  own  were  too  sullen  and  abrupt,  and  a  marked 
change  in  them  was  soon  perceivable  to  anyone  who 
would  have  cared  to  notice.  This  was  during  the  time 
when  she  was  still  only  on  probation  in  her  employer's 
favour,  but  it  was  not  lost  upon  that  astute  lady; 

208 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

nothing  ever  escaped  her  eagle  eye.  And  she  often 
smiled  to  herself  quietly  when  she  watched  the  girl. 

Now  and  then  they  would  go  up  to  the  London  house 
for  a  few  days  and  "picnic,"  as  Her  Ladyship  called  it, 
which  meant  taking  only  her  personal  footman  to  wait 
on  her,  and  a  maid  or  two  for  the  house.  Katherine 
went  with  her  nearly  always,  and  was  sent  shopping  and 
allowed  to  go  and  see  her  family,  if  she  wished. 

But  she  did  not  wish,  and  atways  met  Matilda  at 
some  place  for  tea.  The  gulf  between  them  was  grow- 
ing wider  and  wider,  and  while  Katherine  was  far  more 
agreeable  than  of  old,  Matilda  stood  in  much  greater 
awe  of  her. 

She  felt,  although  she  would  not  have  owned  it  for 
the  world,  that  her  sister  had  really  gone  into  another 
class,  and  she  was  not  quite  comfortable  with  her. 
Katherine  seemed  to  look  more  stately  and  refined  each 
time,  and  Matilda  gloried  and  grieved  in  secret  over  it. 

Gladys  accompanied  her  on  one  occasion. 

"I  suppose  Kitten  will  be  marrying  one  of  them 
gentlemen,  some  day,"  Matilda  said  on  the  way  home 
to  Laburnum  Villa.  "You'd  never  know  she  wasn't 
someone  tip-top  now,  would  you.  Glad?" 

"No — she  is  quite  like  any  of  our  'real  thing'  lot  who 
came  into  Ermantine's — they're  dowdy,  but  you'd  know 
they  were  it." 

"Well,  I  hope  she'll  be  happy."  Matilda  sighed 
doubtfully. 

"Yes,  she  will,"  Gladys  returned  a  little  bitterly. 
"Katherine  would  never  do  anything  to  get  herself  into 
a  mess;  she  is  quite  just,  and  she  can  be  awfully  kind — 
but  she  looks  to  the  end  of  things  and  doesn't  care  a 
rush  for  anyone  but  sticks  to  what  she  wants  herself.  I 
tell  you  what,  Tild,  I  used  to  hate  her — but  I  don't 

209 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

now — I  respect  Katherine.     She  is  so  perfectly  true." 

"She  seems  to  talk  different,  don't  you  notice,  Glad?" 

"She  always  did — but  now  more  than  ever;  she  is 
like  our  best  lot — I  suppose  she  did  learn  something 
extra  at  those  evening  classes  she  was  so  fond  of?" 

Matilda  shook  her  head  regretfully. 

"I  never  did  hold  to  them — she'd  have  been  happy  at 
home  now  and  engaged  to  Charlie  Prodgers  all  com- 
fortable, but  for  that  nonsense." 

"Oh !  but,  Tild,  I  expect  what  she  has  got  is  better 
even  than  that." 

"What!  to  be  a  grand  lady's  servant,  Glad!  My! 
I'd  far  rather  be  Mrs.  Prodgers,  junior,  a  lady  myself, 
and  keep  my  own  general !  Mabel's  forever  saying 
Katherine  can't  be  anything  but  a  slave — And  Mabel 
knows — her  cousin's  aunt's  daughter  who  married  that 
gentleman  with  the  large  city  business  was  presented 
at  Court!" 

But  Mrs.  Bob  Hartley  only  sighed.  Life  was  grow- 
ing particularly  grim  for  her  just  now.  She  felt  hor- 
ribly ill,  and  had  to  stand  about  all  day,  and  conceal 
every  sensation  to  keep  up  the  appearances  that  all  was 
fair. 

Katherine  reflected  deeply  upon  the  moral  of  the 
situation,  after  her  sisters  had  left  her.  What  martyrs 
many  women  were  in  life!  and  what  hideous  injustice  it 
all  seemed — and  more  than  ever  she  saw  how  merciless 
nature  is  to  weaklings. 

About  three  weeks  before  Easte»-,  Lady  Garribardine 
was  alone  down  at  Blissington  ;  she  had  lately  taken  to 
having  her  secretary  with  her  sometimes  on  her  fre- 
quent visits  to  her  cottagers. 

Slie  would  start  in  a  rough,  short  suit,  and  a  pair  of 
thick  boots,  with  a  serviceable  walking-stick,  and  would 

210 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 


tramp  for  miles  carrying  a  basket,  in  which  were  sweets 
and  medicines.  She  was  worshipped  by  her  people,  ar- 
rogant, commanding,  kindly  great  lady ! 

On  one  of  these  occasions  they  had  the  motor  to  meet 
them  at  the  end  of  the  home  village,  and  drove  six  or 
seven  miles  to  another  in  her  outlying  property. 

She  was  very  gracious  as  they  went  along. 

"What  books  have  you  been  reading  lately,  girl?  If 
they  are  the  Chesterfield  Letters  I  think  I  may  tell  you 
that  you  have  profited  by  them.  Your  manners  gen- 
erally are  greatly  improved." 

Katherine  reddened  with  pleasure. 

"I  have  read  them  over  and  over  again.  I  have  found 
them  more  instructive  to  me  than  any  other  book." 

"In  my  young  days  they  were  considered  highly  im- 
moral and  pernicious,  by  most  of  the  canting  Victorian 
hypocrites — when,  of  course,  everyone  of  the  world 
knew  that  Chesterfield's  advice  on  all  points  was  the 
most  sensible  and  sagacious  that  could  be  given — but 
hypocrisy  had  risen  to  a  colossal  height  in  the  sixties 
and  seventies." 

"I  suppose  so." 

"Nowadays  not  one  person  in  ten  thousand  reads 
them,  more's  the  pity.  If  the  young  men  with  their 
great  personal  beauty — which  sport  and  suitable  feed- 
ing have  produced — could  have  been  brought  up  to  un- 
derstand the  advantage  of  cultivating  'the  graces,'  what 
godlike  creatures  they  would  be !" 

Katherine  thought  of  Lord  Algy ;  he  must  have  done 
so  unconsciously,  she  felt. 

"People  are  so  apt  to  judge  such  a  book  upon  the 
letter,  not  the  spirit — naturally  one  must  make  allow- 
ances for  the  different  customs  and  habits  of  the  times ; 
but  the  spirit  of  the  advice  adapted  to  modern  require- 

211 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

ments  would  make  any  man  or  woman  into  an  eminent 
person  if  it  was  faithfully  followed.  I  recommend  it  to 
you  strongly,  since  I  believe  you  are  steadily  trying  to 
educate  yourself,  Miss  Bush." 

'•I  am,  indeed — I  hope  I  am  not  overconfident  in  be- 
lieving that  if  one  probes  the  meaning  of  everything, 
and  can  see  the  faults  in  oneself,  including  those  of  in- 
stinct, it  is  possible  to  do,  by  will,  what  only  the  evolu- 
tion of  centuries  accomplishes  by  natural  process.  The 
Chesterfield  Letters  have  encouraged  me  in  my  belief." 

"Of  course,  it  is  possible,  but  people  will  hardly  ever 
face  the  truth,  and  would  not  dream  of  examining  their 
own  instincts;  it  would  wound  their  self-love;  thej 
would  rather  be  mediocre  and  blinded  to  their  stupidi- 
ties, than  teach  themselves  any  useful  lesson.  Your  de- 
termined effort  interests  me  deeply,  child." 

Katherine  turned  a  radiant  face  of  gratitude;  this 
was  praise  indeed ! 

"I  will  do  all  I  can  to  merit  Your  Ladyship's  good- 
ness to  me." 

"No,  I  am  not  good — I  have  no  altruistic  or  humani- 
tarian proclivities — I  would  not  bother  with  you  for 
five  minutes  if  you  were  not  so  intelligent  that  I  have 
grown  to  take  a  kind  of  pride  in  you." 

"I  can't  say  how  I  appreciate  Your  Ladyship's  kind- 
ness." 

Lady  Garribardine  turned  and  looked  at  her  for  a 
second,  and  then  she  said  slowly : 

"I  am  going  to  ask  you  a  question  not  strictly  justi- 
fiable— and  you  need  not  answer  it  if  you  would  rather 
not — but  you  may  have  formed  some  opinion  of  my  in- 
tegrity in  these  months,  which  will  perhaps  allow  you 
to  Ik.'  frank  with  me — Did  my  nephew,  Gerard  Stro- 
bridge,  make  violent  love  to  you  when  he  spent  Christ- 

212 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

mas  with  us?  It  seemed  to  me  at  the  time,  and  after- 
wards, that  he  grew  considerably  depressed." 

Katherine  felt  a  twinge  of  distress. 

"Mr.  Strobridge  showed  some  interest  in  me  which 
I  felt  it  wiser  to  discourage — He  was  very  kind  to  me 
though,  and  agreed  to  be  my  friend,  and  sent  me  some 
books." 

For  a  second,  Lady  Garribardine  felt  irritated.  Her 
precious  Gerard  to  have  been  a  suppliant  to  this  de- 
pendent in  her  house! — And  then  the  broad  justice  of 
her  nature  regained  its  mastery;  the  girl  was  worthy 
of  the  homage  of  a  king. 

"I  think  he  must  have  been  extremely  hard  hit — I  am 
quite  devoted  to  him,  as  you  know.  I  rely  upon  you 
not  to  hurt  him  more  than  you  can  help,  when  he  comes 
back." 

"I  never  wished  to  hurt  him  at  all — I  did  wish  to  talk 
to  him,  though,  because  he  is  so  clever,  so  at  first  I  was 
glad  to  attract  his  attention.  I  know  now  that  that  was 
wrong." 

Lady  Garribardine  looked  at  her  secretary  critically. 
She  was  astonished  at  this  frank  avowal  which  she  real- 
ised not  another  woman  in  a  million  in  Katherine's  sit- 
uation would  have  made. 

"You  deliberately  attracted  him  then,  girl,  eh.'' " 

her  voice  was  stern. 

"Yes — on  the  afternoon  he  first  spoke  to  me  when  we 
typed  the  charity  papers.  I  was  so  anxious  to  learn 
about  books  and  art,  and  before  that  he  had  not  noticed 
me  at  all." 

"You  did  not  calculate  that  it  might  hurt  him.''" 

Lady  Garribardine  wondered  at  herself  that  she  did 
act  feel  angry. 

"No.  I  never  thought  about  that — he  seemed  older 
213 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

and  of  the  world,  and  able  to  take  care  of  himself,  and 
he  was  married." 

"None  of  which  things  ever  saved  a  man  when  Eve 
offered  the  apple — I  suppose  I  ought  to  be  very  an- 
noyed with  you,  child — but  I  believe  it  has  done  him 
good ;  he  wanted  rousing,  he  is,  as  you  say,  so  clever. 

"He  could  have  done  brilliantly,  but  he  is  lacking  in 
perseverance — If  he  had  married  a  woman  like  you,  he 
would  have  risen  to  great  things.  The  finest  gift  of 
God  is  an  indomitable  purpose  to  do.  My  nephew 
drifted,  I  fear." 

Then  their  talk  branched  off  to  other  things,  and  this 
proud  old  aristocrat,  having  made  up  her  mind  now 
once  for  all  that  Katherine  possessed  a  character  and 
qualities  after  her  own  heart,  she  from  this  day  treated 
her  as  an  equal  and  a  valued  companion  whenever  they 
were  not  in  actual  relation  of  employer  and  secretary; 
when  in  that,  she  would  always  resume  her  original  aloof 
manner  of  one  in  command. 

Katherine  delighted  in  this  nuance,  and  appreciated 
the  subtle  tribute  to  her  own  sense  of  the  fitness  of 
things,  and  never  once  took  the  ell  when  she  was  given 
the  inch,  showing  in  this  the  immeasurable  distance  she 
had  risen  above  her  class. 

And  so  Easter  came,  and  with  it  a  large  party — and 
Gerard  Strobridge.  At  first  sight,  he  did  not  appear 
at  all  changed.  Katherine  saw  him  from  the  window  of 
the  schoolroom  just  at  sunset  on  the  Thursday  after- 
noon, when  the  guests  arrived.  He  was  walking  in  the 
rose  garden  with  a  tall,  beautiful  woman.  The  lowering 
globe  of  fire  was  making  a  blaze  of  reflected  light  from 
striking  the  row  of  mullioned  windows  of  the  picture 
gallery  on  the  opposite  side,  and  the  flower-beds  were 
a  mass  of  daff"odils  and  hyacinths.     It  was  a  nice  back- 

214 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

ground.  He  looked  up,  so  Kathcrine  saw  his  face 
plainly — then  she  stepped  behind  the  curtain  and  the 
pair  went  on. 

She  felt  very  glad  to  see  him,  and  wondered  when 
they  would  meet.  At  these  huge  parties  she  never  came 
down,  even  to  pour  out  the  tea  if  Her  Ladyship's  hand 
ached,  as  at  the  smaller  family  Christmas  one.  So  un- 
less he  made  the  chance  deliberately,  it  was  quite  pos- 
sible no  words  would  be  exchanged. 

This  uncertainty  added  to  the  interest,  and  made 
her  decide  when  Sunday  should  come  to  take  especial 
pains  with  her  appearance  for  church — Under  Gladys' 
direction,  she  would  be  most  simply  and  charmingly 
garbed,  in  a  new  blue  serge  suit,  and  becoming  black 
hat.  Before  Saturday  when  they  actually  met,  how- 
ever, she  had  seen  Gerard  twice,  once  from  the  gallery 
as  she  was  leaving  Lady  Garribardine's  sitting-room, 
and  he  was  talking  to  the  same  beautiful  lady  in  the 
hall — and  once  from  her  window  when  he  paced  the  rose 
garden  alone. 

Katherine  was  familiar  with  the  names  and  charac- 
teristics of  all  the  guests,  for  had  she  not  written  their 
invitations  and  read  their  answers.''  Did  she  not  type 
the  cards  which  slipped  into  the  little  plates  on  their 
doors,  and  those  for  their  places  at  dinner.? — And  on 
Saturday  night  a  message  came  for  her  that  she  was  to 
print  two  more,  and  go  immediately  to  Bronson  with 
a  fresh  arrangement  of  the  table,  as  two  extra  men 
were  going  to  turn  up  by  motor  at  the  last  moment, 
guardsmen  quartered  at  Windsor. 

She  was  coming  from  the  dining-room  down  the  pas- 
sage which  led  to  her  staircase,  and  also  the  smoking- 
ing-room,  when  Gerard  emerged  from  there,  and  met 
her  at  the  foot  of  the  stairs. 

215 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

He  put  out  his  hand  with  cordial  friendliness,  while 
he  cried  gaily : 

"At  last  I  can  greet  you ! — I  would  not  go  to  dress 
on  purpose,  because  I  saw  you  rush  down  the  passage, 
and  I  knew  you  would  have  to  come  back — It  is  good 
to  see  you  again  !" 

She  answered  suitably  and  would  have  passed  on, 
only  he  barred  the  way. 

"I  thought  you  were  going  to  let  me  be  a  friend,"  he 
said  reproachfully,  "and  here  you  snub  me  at  once  and 
want  to  run  away." 

"No — but  you  will  be  late." 

"I  care  not  a  jot! — When  can  I  possibly  see  you  to- 
morrow.''" 

His  eyes  began  to  grow  hungry;  he  was  taking  in 
the  subtle  improvement  in  her — which  had  happened 
even  in  these  few  months.  His  interest  in  her  had  not 
diminished,  he  discovered,  much  as  he  had  hoped  that 
he  had  crushed  it  to  within  bounds. 

"I  cannot  say— in  church,  I  suppose." 

"That  is  small  comfort !  May  I  not  come  up  the 
stairs  just  for  half  an  hour  before  lunch.''" 

"Yes,  if  you  find  it  possible — remember,  I  trust  you 
not  to  do  anything  unwise." 

"I  promise — if  you  prefer  it,  I  will  ask  my  aunt's 
permission." 

"Do  as  you  think  best — but  now  I  must  go.  Good- 
night!" 

He  took  her  hand  and  kissed  it — his  lips  were  burn- 
ing. Then  he  watclied  her  as  she  went  up  the  stairs, 
never  looking  back.  And  a  sudden  anguish  came  over 
him.  How  hopeless  tlie  wliole  thing  was !  He  had  bet- 
ter not  have  relied  upon  his  self-command,  and  have 
stayed  away. 

216 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATIIERINE  BUSH 

He  did  not  go  to  church  on  the  Sunday.  Kathcrine 
rather  wondered  at  this,  as  she  walked  back  alone 
across  the  park.  In  the  country,  Lady  Garribardine 
expected  the  inmates  of  her  house  to  be  very  ortho- 
dox. 

The  fine  spring  wind  had  blown  two  faint  pink  roses 
into  her  cheeks,  by  the  time  she  reached  the  schoolroom, 
and  there  found  Mr.  Strobridge  seated  in  her  favourite 
armchair  reading  a  book ! 

He  rose  eagerly  as  she  entered,  but  he  did  not  shake 
hands. 

"I  thought  possession  would  be  nine  points  of  the 
law,  so  I  ensconced  myself  here,  and  awaited  you,  and 
I  am  going  to  stay  until  you  turn  me  out." 

"Very  well — tliat  will  be  at  ten  minutes  to  one — at 
five  minutes  to,  Thomas  comes  to  lay  the  table  for  my 
lunch." 

"That  gives  us  just  under  half  an  hour — Katherine, 
you  beautiful  thing,  let  me  look  at  you !" 

And  now  he  took  both  her  hands  and  pulled  her  to 
the  light. 

"You  have  grown  much  prettier,  you  know — and  are 
more  attractive  than  ever,  alas !" 

"If  you  are  going  to  talk  like  that,  although  you  may 
stay,  I  shall  leave  you  alone." 

"No,  I  am  going  to  be  reasonable.  Tell  me  every- 
thing, what  you  have  been  doing,  and  reading,  and 
thinking,  since  I  went  away.^"" 

"I  have  been  doing  my  work — and  reading  all  the 
books  you  gave  me — and  many  others — and  thinking 
about  life." 

"Never  once  of  me,  I  suppose?" 

"Yes — you  are  part  of  my  life — my  one  friend." 

He  started  forward. 

217 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

"Darl "  but  he  checked  himself  before  the  word 

came  quite  out,  and  said  instead: 

"Ah!  that  is  joy  to  hear!  And  now  I  want  to  know 
wliat  you  thought  of  Symonds  and  Pater  and  the  rest? 
— You  will  have  quantities  of  things  to  discuss  with  me, 
I  am  sure." 

Kathcrine  began  taking  off  her  hat  and  coat,  and 
then  put  them  neatly  on  the  long,  hard  sofa ;  she  never 
glanced  in  the  glass  or  patted  her  hair — She  was  boyish 
in  her  unconsciousness. 

Gerard  Strobridge  watched  her,  and  then  suddenly 
looked  away ;  the  insane  desire  was  rising  in  him  again 
to  take  her  in  his  arms.  So  he  exerted  extra  control 
over  himself,  and  spent  the  rest  of  the  time  in  truly 
friendly  converse,  in  which  he  assumed  the  character  of 
stern  tutor,  examining  a  promising  pupil  upon  a  holi- 
day task  performed  in  his  absence. 

Katherine  was  enchanted,  and  when  ten  minutes  to 
one  came,  she  wished  he  had  not  to  go. 

"It  has  given  me  so  much  pleasure  to  talk  to  you — 
I  am  so  glad  you  have  come  back."  But  she  held  her 
hands  behind  her  when  he  would  have  taken  them  again, 
in  gladness  at  her  words. 

"So  much  touching  is  undesirable  if  we  are  going  to 
rem.ain  friends,"  she  told  him. 

"When  may  I  come  again?" 

"You  must  arrange  that." 

"After  tea,  just  until  it  is  getting  dark  enough  for 
Martha  to  be  coming  to  draw  the  curtains?" 

"Yes,  perhaps." 

And  with  this  he  left  comforted. 

But  when  he  had  gone,  Katherine  Bush  went  and 
looked  out  of  the  window,  and  very  slowly  shook  her 
head  in  perplexity. 

218 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

"It  will  certainly  hurt  him — and  what  will  Her 
Ladyship  say?  She  may  think  I  am  not  playing  the 
game." 

And  then  she  remembered  Lord  Chesterfield's  advice 
in  one  of  his  maxims : 

When  a  man  of  sense  happens  to  be  in  that  disagreeable 
situation  in  which  he  is  obliged  to  ask  himself  more  than 
once,  "What  shall  I  do?" — he  will  answer  himself — "Noth- 
ing." When  his  reason  points  out  to  him  no  good  way,  or 
at  least  no  one  way  less  bad  than  another,  he  will  stop 
short  and  wait  for  light. 


CHAPTER  XX 

KATHERINE  BUSH  always  looked  back  upon 
that  Easter  party  as  being  the  third  milestone 
in  her  career. 

It  happened  that  a  certain  guest  wished  to  try  some 
new  songs  she  was  going  to  sing  on  Sunday  night,  and 
instead  of  the  agreeable  gloaming  Gerard  Strobridge 
had  been  looking  forward  to  enjoying  with  Katherine 
alone,  he  was  forced  by  his  aunt  to  take  this  lady  up 
to  the  schoolroom  after  tea  and  request  Miss  Bush's 
services  as  accompanist. 

Katherine  had  been  practising  her  old  gift  of  read^ 
ing  music  almost  every  evening  when  alone  and  was 
now  very  proficient.  Lady  Garribardine  knew  this,  be- 
cause she  had  sent  for  her  secretary  to  play  to  her  sev- 
eral times  in  her  sitting-room  when  she  was  there  with- 
out visitors  and  was  suffering  from  rheumatism. 

Mr.  Strobridge  introduced  Katherine  to  the  visitor, 
who  turned  out  to  be  the  beautiful  lady  he  had  walked 
with  in  the  rose  garden ;  and  they  got  on  extremely 
well.  It  was  the  first  time  Katherine  had  ever  chatted, 
as  practically  an  equal,  alone  with  a  member  of  society 
except  her  employer. 

The  stranger  was  charming,  and  insisted  that  she 
should  come  down  to  play  again  in  the  drawing-room 
after  dinner. 

Another  occasion  for  the  black  frock  to  be  worn! 
And  a  chance  not  to  be  wasted  for  observation  as  to 
behaviour!     Katherine,  when  evening  came,  made  her- 

220 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

self  look  her  very  best,  and  was  waiting  demurely  by 
the  piano  as  the  ladies  entered  the  room.  From  this 
position  she  attracted  no  attention  until  some  of  them 
wanted  to  play.  The  guest  she  had  accompanied  was 
again  graciously  sweet  to  her,  and  some  of  the  others 
joined  in  the  conversation  while  they  strummed  and 
pulled  about  the  songs. 

There  was  something  arresting  in  Katherlne's  type 
which  called  for  notice  when  people  were  near  enough 
to  observe  details  of  her  mousy  fair  hair  that  had  no 
touch  of  gold  in  it,  but  alwa3^s  glistened  grey,  and  her 
wonderfully  pale  skin  and  dark  brows,  giving  her 
strange  eyes  that  intense  shadowed  mystery  which 
aroused  interest. 

Gerard,  who  joined  the  party  by  the  piano  when  the 
men  came  in,  watched  her  silently.  She  had  studied  to 
obtain  an  air  of  distinction,  and  Gerard,  whose  love  did 
not  blind  his  fastidious  critical  faculties,  remarked  that 
there  was  a  real  advance  in  this  direction  since  the 
Christmas  night  when  he  had  last  seen  her  in  evening 
dress.  She  did  not  look  so  sullen  either  and  answered 
with  fluency  and  ease  when  she  was  addressed,  and  not 
in  the  monosyllabic  fashion  of  former  days. 

An  elderly  politician  spoke  to  her.  He  seemed  de- 
lighted with  her  conversation,  and  indicated  by  a  ges- 
ture that  she  should  sit  down  beside  him  when  the  songg 
were  over  and  she  was  about  to  slip  away  out  of  the 
room. 

Katherine  was  not  at  all  certain  whether  she  ought 
to  staj'  or  not,  but  Lady  Garribardine  at  that  moment 
came  up  and  said  casually,  "You  must  not  go  to  bed 
yet.  Miss  Bush,  perhaps  they  will  sing  again ;  wait  here 
and  talk  to  Sir  John." 

And    so   bidden,    Katherine   was    delighted   to    obej 

221 


THE  CABEEB  OF  KATHEBINE  BUSH 

and  used  her  intelligence  to  be  agreeable  and  sympa- 
thetic. Gerard  continued  to  watch  her  and  felt  pride 
in  her. 

"Your  secretary  is  having  a  great  success  to-night, 
isn't  she,  Seraphim?"  he  said  to  his  aunt. 

"Yes — and  it  is  deserved;  the  girl  is  one  in  a  thou- 
sand. I  think  I  shall  encourage  Sir  John  for  her;  he 
is  longing  for  a  wife,  and  has  a  tidy  seven  thousand  a 
year,  and  only  rare  attacks  of  gout.  She  could  manage 
him  capitally  and  be  of  real  use  to  the  party.  She  will 
■ever  let  her  heart  interfere  with  her  ambitions !" 

"He  would  make  an  ideal  husband!"  Mr.  Stro- 
bridge's  tone  was  sardonic.  "A  lover  in  that  case  would 
be  an  immediate  necessity — by  all  means,  Seraphim, 
press  the  match !" 

Her  Ladyship  gave  him  one  of  her  shrewd  glances 
and  then  she  said: 

"Come  and  breakfast  with  me  in  my  sitting-room 
to-morrow  morning,  G.  We  can  talk  it  over,"  and  she 
chuckled  softly. 

When  Katherine  sat  by  her  fire  an  hour  later  she  set 
herself  to  look  carefully  over  the  last  five  months  of  her 
life,  and  to  mark  what  they  had  brought  her. 

The  gain  was  immense !  She  had  emerged  from  being 
an  ordinary  shorthand  typist  at  Liv  and  Dev's  to  be 
an  inmate  of  the  house  in  Berkeley  Square,  and  from 
that  to  be  the  passion  of  Gerard  Strobridge,  and  the 
Talued  companion  of  Lady  Garribardine  at  Blissington. 
And  now  she  had  spent  the  evening  almost  as  their  equal 
and  had  heard  twenty  eminent  people  all  talking  the 
shibboleth  of  the  great  world  of  politics  and  fashion; 
and  had  not  felt  totally  out  of  place  in  their  company, 
which  she  knew  was  not  composed  of  the  agreeable  fools 
of  tlie  Christmas  party,  but  contained  several  politi- 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

cians  of  distinction,  a  diplomat  or  two  and  a  foreign 
ambassador. 

The  contrast  was  delightful  to  think  about;  it  even 
gave  her  pleasure  to  recall  Bindon's  Green  as  a  foil ! 
She  laughed  without  any  bitterness  to  herself  when  she 
remembered  the  bath  and  the  oyster  incidents,  and  sev- 
eral others  of  the  Lord  Algy  Period — and  how  she  had 
secretly  admired  the  "rather  awful"  rooms  at  the  Great 
Terminus  Hotel;  her  eye  and  her  taste  then  so  totally 
uneducated  that  in  spite  of  many  walks  in  museums, 
she  had  not  been  able  to  distinguish  her  deplorable  defi- 
ciencies in  both  respects.  Oh !  What  an  immeasurable 
gulf  now  separated  her  from  those  days !  It  was  a 
praiseworthy  achievement  for  only  five  months.  But 
she  realised  more  than  ever  from  the  conversations  she 
had  heard  to-night  that  she  was  still  very  ignorant, 
and  that  constant  mixing  with  this  society  would  be  the 
only  way  to  give  her  that  polish  and  confidence  which 
could  enable  her  to  display  the  really  cultivated 
thoughts  of  her  mind. 

The  quickness  and  lightness  with  which  subtle  and 
clever  sallies  were  answered — the  perfect  ease  of  every- 
one !  She  knew  that  she  was  able  to  control  her  own  face 
and  manner  to  appear  at  ease,  but  she  could  not  pre- 
tend that  she  felt  so  altogether  as  yet,  except  with 
Gerard  Strobridge,  but  then  Gerard,  while  her  literary 
master,  was  her  worshipping  servant — so  that  was 
difi^erent! 

To  please  companies  of  women  must  now  be  her  aim, 
and  to  avoid  talking  to  any  attractive  men  at  all  until 
she  had  obtained  such  a  sure  place  that  the  jealousy 
of  her  own  sex  would  be  immaterial  to  her.  She  had 
observed  that  Lady  Elton,  whose  songs  she  had  accom- 
panied, had  a  distinct  penchant  for  Mr.  Strobridge — 

223 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

unrcturned  she  knew — but  it  behooved  her  to  be  more 
particularly  careful.  Another  woman  who  had  also 
spoken  to  her,  a  Mrs.  Bosanquet,  was  really  interest- 
ing— about  fifty  and  highly  intelligent.  Katherine  had 
carefully  watched  how  she  led  the  conversation  in  the 
group  where  she  stood.  As  a  company  all  these  ladies 
were  much  gentler  and  more  refined  in  manner  than 
some  of  those  who  had  assisted  at  the  tableaux.  She 
gathered  from  their  remarks  that  they  rather  held 
themselves  apart  from  these  others  and  indeed  laughed 
at  them  good-naturedly.  There  were  sets  within  sets 
evidently,  and  this  was  the  very  inner  creme  de  la 
crcme. 

Katherine  wondered  how  long  it  would  be  before  some 
distinct  goal  presented  itself — that  would  be  for  Fate 
to  decide — and  only  those  who  had  made  themselves  fit 
to  profit  by  Fate's  chances  could  hope  to  succeed  in 
such  a  difficult  game  as  she  was  playing;  with  every 
prejudice  of  class  and  sex  against  her,  there  was  no 
time  to  be  wasted  in  any  foolish  relaxations ! 

She  wondered  if  Lady  Garribardine  had  approved  of 
her  behaviour.  The  old  gentleman  she  had  talked  to 
had  been  intelligent  if  pompous,  and  she  had  enjoyed 
their  discussion.  She  thought  of  the  Chesterfield  Let- 
ters— of  what  great  use  they  had  been  to  her!  She 
saw  the  pitfalls  they  had  enabled  her  to  avoid.  Now 
her  next  immediate  aim  must  be  to  come  down  into  the 
drawing-room  as  frequently  as  she  was  allowed.  She 
determined  to  make  herself  of  great  use,  and,  if  she  had 
tlic  chance  to  tackle  any  bore,  so  that  her  mistress 
should  feel  that  she  was  of  real  service. 

At  last  she  retired  to  bed  well  pleased  with  her 
evening. 

When  Mr.  Strobridge  came  into  his  aunt's  gitting- 
224 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

room  next  morning  he  found  her  in  a  charming  negli- 
gee and  cap  pouring  out  the  coffee. 

"I  could  not  wait  for  you,  G.,"  she  told  him.  "Sit 
down,  quickly — there  are  only  two  dishes  besides  bacon 
and  eggs — chicken  curry  and  devilled  sole — they  are  all 
on  the  table  at  your  elbow." 

They  chatted  of  several  things,  the  party  principally. 

"Now  I  have  time,  G. — to  hear  how  it  fares  with  Lao. 
How  did  you  escape — with  dignity' — or  rather  in  dis- 
grace .f"' 

"She  believes  she  threw  me  over;  it  is  extremely  for- 
tunate. Beatrice  was  an  invaluable  help."  Mr.  Stro- 
bridge  put  some  chutney  in  his  curry.  "Lao  and  I  are 
the  greatest  friends — she  feels  that  I  fought  hard  with 
my  inclinations  and  made  a  noble  conquest — by  absent- 
ing myself  in  Egypt !  Now  she  is  greatly  amused  with 
a  Hussar  boy  at  home  on  leave  from  India — she  must 
be  older  than  one  thought." 

His  aunt  laughed  delightedly. 

*'It  is  a  bad  sign  certainly.  Lao  is  ageless,  though, 
anything  between  twenty-eight  and  forty-five.  We 
stay  like  that  for  years  and  then  suddenly  grow  ridicu- 
lous !  I  believe  you  have  extricated  me  from  the  ap- 
pearance of  that  at  all  events,  G.  My  new  toupee  has 
given  me  a  new  perspective." 

"You  are  quite  beautiful  now.  Seraphim." 

"My  golden  ones  were  a  habit.  It  has  been  a  source 
of  great  gratification  to  me  to  watch  how  my  friends 
have  taken  the  alteration — even  Miss  Bush  made  a  faint 
exclamation  when  she  first  saw  it !" 

"She  is  usually  very  self-contained." 

"G.,  that  girl  is  a  wonder — have  you  anything  to  tell 
me  about  her.^*" 

"Nothing  except  that  I  agree  with  you  that  she  is 

^25 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

the  most  naturally  intelligent  creature  I  have  ever  met." 

"Are  you  in  love  with  her,  dear  boy?" 

"Yes — extremely." 

"To  the  point  of  unhapplness .''" 

"I  have  not  analysed  the  point — but  it  is  bound  to  be 
unhappiness  since  she  does  not  care  one  atom  for  me." 

"You  burnt  your  fingers  that  day  in  the  picture 
gallery,  then?     It  was  a  pity  I  let  you." 

"The  fire  was  lit  before  that — I  think  it  was  better 
that  it  flared  up — now  I  am  trying  to  settle  down  into 
being  friends.  Seraphim,  I  want  to  help  her.  I  do  so 
admire  her  courage  and  her  profound  common  sense. 
She  frankly  desires  to  cultivate  her  mind  and  improve 
in  every  way ;  the  change  in  her  even  since  Christmas  is 
remarkable — do  be  kind  to  her  and  let  her  come  down 
sometimes  as  you  did  last  night." 

"I  intend  to."  Lady  Garribardine  helped  herself  to 
honey.  "I  am  going  to  take  her  to  Paris  with  me  next 
week  and  then  we  shall  be  in  London — there  it  will  be 
more  difficult." 

"Seraphim,  have  I  your  permission  really  to  teach 
her  things?" 

Her  Ladyship  laughed  her  bubbling  laugli. 

"It  quite  depends  what  things — to  love  3'ou,  a  mar- 
ried man  ?  Certainly  not !  To  improve  her  own  intel- 
lect— perhaps." 

"It    is,    alas !    to    do    the   latter,    dearest    of    aunts, 

but "   and  here  his  voice  vibrated  with  unwonted 

feeling,  "I  tell  you  frankly  that  if  I  did  not  know  that 
the  case  is  perfectly  hopeless,  and  that  I  could  never 
succeed  in  making  her  care  for  me,  I  believe  I  would 
brave  even  your  wrath  and  attempt  to  win  her." 

"As  what — your  mistress?"  rather  tartly. 

Mr.  Strobridge  shrugged  his  shoulders  slightlj. 
226 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 


"I  would  marry  her  willingly  if  Beatrice  would  di- 
vorce me — such  things  can  be  arranged." 

*'Ycs,  Beatrice  is  an  excellent  creature,  as  you  often 
say — but  since  Miss  Bush  will  have  none  of  you,  you 
had  better  stick  to  Beatrice,  she  has  done  you  so  many 
good  turns.     Think  of  Lao !" 

Then  as  she  saw  the  look  of  pain  and  weariness  upon 
his  much-loved  face,  she  got  up  and  did  what  she  had 
perhaps  not  done  for  quite  ten  years,  she  put  her  kind 
arm  round  his  neck  and  pulled  his  head  back  against 
her  ample  bosom. 

"Dearest  boy,"  she  whispered  softly,  "I  cannot  bear 
that  anything  should  really  hurt  you.  What  course  is 
the  right  one  to  pursue,  so  that  you  shall  not  have  more 
pain.''    We  must  think  it  out." 

He  was  deeply  touched  and  rested  there  comforted 
by  her  fond  affection. 

"Let  me  see  her  now  and  then  in  peace  without  sub- 
terfuge, so  that  I  may  help  her  with  her  education — 
and  then  in  the  autumn  I  think  I  will  take  that  chance 
of  being  sent  to  Teheran — Seraphim,  do  you  remem- 
ber the  afternoon  she  typed  the  charity  things,  when 
I  came  up  to  tea  with  you,  you  said  I  was  depressed, 
and  I  said  it  was  the  shadow  of  coming  events.''  Well, 
how  true  it  has  proved — that  is  the  first  time  I  ever 
noticed  her,  and  once  before  you  had  remarked  that 
you  feared  I  should  one  day  be  profoundly  in  love." 

Lady  Garribardine  stooped  and  kissed  his  forehead. 

"Alas !"  she  said.  "But  you  were  too  fine,  dear  G., 
to  go  on  drifting  forever  from  the  Alice  Southerwoods 
to  the  Laos ;  it  was  bound  to  come  with  your  tempera- 
ment. I  really  wish  you  could  marry  this  girl  and  have 
some  splendid  little  sons  for  me  to  adopt  and  leave 
some  of  my  money  to." 

227 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

"I  would  ask  nothing  better  of  Fate,"  and  his  eyes 
became  suffused  with  light  at  the  thought.  His  aunt 
sat  down  again  and  began  peeling  an  apple. 

"You  would  have  no  objection  to  that  despised  do- 
mestic relationship,  then — it  would  not  even  appear 
bourgeois,  eh?" 

"Not  in  the  least." 

"G., — how  the  whole  world  is  full  of  shams.  Thi? 
ridiculous  thing  called  marriage!  What  a  problem, 
and  no  light  on  the  subject!  A  suitable  marriage  is 
perfect  happiness,  the  obligations  are  joys  and  pleas- 
ures, and  it  docs  not  seem  to  be  allowed  to  occur  more 
than  once  in  a  hundred  years.  All  the  rest  are  in 
gradations  of  unsuitableness  and  fret  and  boredom.  It 
makes  me  shudder  now  when  I  see  people  standing  at 
the  altar,  swearing  to  love  forever — nine-tenths  of  them 
not  even  taking  in  the  meaning  of  the  vows  they  are 
making — and  a  largo  percentage  going  through  them 
for  some  ultimate  end  entirely  disconnected  with  Jove 
or  desire  for  the  partner  they  are  being  bound  to — it  is 
tragic." 

Mr.  Strobridge  agreed. 

"I  am  convinced,"  Her  Ladyship  went  on,  now 
warmed  to  her  subject,  "that  much  unhappincss  would 
be  avoided  if  no  vows  were  made  at  all,  but  the  parson 
merely  joined  the  hands  and  said  a  prayer  over  them  to 
ask  that  they  might  go  on  desiring  each  other,  and 
that  ended  the  business.  I  believe  truly  that  the 
actual  breaking  of  the  vow  acts  in  some  mysterious  oc- 
cult fashion  and  draws  penalties  of  misery  upon  the 
breakers." 

"What  a  disturbing  thought !" 

"Yes — because  it  is  not  really  the  infidelities  which 
can  be  sins,  they  are  merely  human  nature — it  is  the 

228 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

breaking  of  the  given  word  which  draws  the  current  of 
disaster." 

"I  expect  you  are  quite  right — the  whole  thing  is  in- 
fernal— and  yet  we  must  have  some  sort  of  union  recog- 
nised by  the  state  or  chaos  would  ensue." 

"Obviously — and  as  marriage  now  stands  there  seem 
to  be  only  three  ways  of  supporting  it.  One,"  and  she 
ticked  them  off  on  her  fat  fingers — "to  grow  to  that 
abstract  state  of  good  when  to  keep  a  vow  against  in- 
clination in  itself  brings  happiness ;  two,  to  behave  de- 
cently to  the  legal  partner,  and  with  propriety  before 
the  world,  and  then  if  necessary  to  have  mistresses  or 
lovers  as  the  case  may  be ;  or — three — for  the  state  to 
allow  a  man  to  have  several  wives,  and  the  woman,  if  she 
desires  it,  a  change  of  husbands !" 

Mr.  Strobridge  handed  his  cup  for  more  coffee. 

"Most  of  us  are  quite  out  of  the  running  for  the  first, 
the  third  would  be  unworkable,  Seraphim,  so  I  see  no 
help  for  it;  the  second  course  is  the  only  possible  one 
for  half  the  poor  devils  in  the  world." 

"Probably — then  the  greatest  pains  ought  to  be 
taken  to  keep  up  appearances  so  that  those  who  lire  up 
to  the  first  may  not  have  their  feelings  outraged.  No 
one  should  show  a  bad  public  example.  The  facts  of 
straying  fancy  cannot  be  altered  until  hiunan  nature 
changes — an  unlikely  event ! — so  the  best  we  can  do  is 
to  hide  irregularities  under  a  cloak  of  virtuous  hypoc- 
risy. It  helps  many  good  and  weak  people  to  keep  up 
a  general  standard,  but  there  must  be  something  wrong 
in  the  original  scheme,  G.,  if  we  are  obliged  to  do  this." 

"Undoubtedly.  'It  is  the  one,  however,  which  has 
kept  all  sensible  societies  going  since  the  beginning  of 
civilisation  and  will  continue  to  do  so  while  there  are 
two  sexes  in  the  world.     But  all  this  does  not  help  me  in 

229 


THE  CAFEER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 


my  present  case  of  being  madlj  in  love  with  a  woman 
whom  I  may  not  have  as  either  wife  or  mistress.  Friend- 
ship is  the  only  cold  comfort  left  to  me !" 

"Tut,  tut !    Half  a  loaf  is  better  than  no  bread !" 

"You  think  she  might  marry  Sir  John?"  There  wa» 
hope  in  his  tone. 

"Why  not?  Only  I  don't  feel  sure  that  he  deseryei 
such  a  prize.  For  me  she  is  quite  a  marvellous  char- 
acter, and  we  could  perhaps  find  her  something  young 
and  handsome." 

Mr.  Strobridge  jumped  up  with  a  start.  This  idea 
was  altogether  unpalatable  to  him. 

"How  shocking!  Seraphim,  that  might  be  a  creature 
a  woman  would  adore!" 

"Well?" 

"Well " 

"Concentrate  upon  friendship,  my  dear  boy ! — If  she 
has  once  said  you  nay,  the  role  of  lover  is  not  for  jou — 
no  matter  whom  she  marries  I" 


CHAPTER  XXI 

IME  passed.  A  year  went  by  after  this  with  a 
gradual  but  unmistakable  upward  advance  on 
the  part  of  Katherine  Bush.  Moments  of  de- 
pression and  discouragement  came,  of  course,  but  her 
iron  will  carried  her  beyond  them.  All  would  go  well 
for  a  while,  and  then  would  come  a  barrier,  as  it  were, 
which  was  difficut  to  climb,  and  which  would  baffle  her 
intentions  for  a  week  or  two,  and  then  she  would  sur- 
mount it,  and  race  onward. 

Her  manipulation  of  Gerard  Strobridge  was  mas- 
terly. She  never  permitted  him  to  go  beyond  the 
bounds  of  friendship,  and  he  gradually  grew  to  enter- 
tain the  deepest  worship  and  respect  for  her,  which 
influenced  his  whole  life.  She  spurred  him  on  in  his 
career,  while  obtaining  from  him  all  the  polish  his  cul- 
tivated mind  could  bestow.  Lady  Garribardine  watched 
the  passage  of  events  with  her  wise  old  eyes,  assisting 
them,  moreover,  when  she  deemed  it  necessary. 

If  Katherine's  dominion  over  her  beloved  nephew  was 
for  his  good,  she  must  not  let  class  prejudice  stand  in 
the  way  of  her  sympathy.  The  world  for  Sarah  Garri- 
bardine was  full  of  incredible  fools,  who,  however  strong 
their  desire  might  be  for  a  given  end,  were  yet  too 
stupid  to  see  that  their  actions  and  methods — nearly 
alwa3's  inspired  by  personal  vanity — militated  against 
the  attainment  of  that  end,  and  so  they  went  on  their 
blundering  way,  continually  surprised  at  their  own 
want  of  success ! 

231 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

It  was  the  quality  of  reasoning  and  of  analysis  in 
her  secretary  which  grew  to  interest  her  most  deeply. 
Katherine  was  her  perpetual  study,  inasmuch  as  she 
stood  so  far  apart  from  the  world  of  fools. 

Their  visit  to  Paris  had  been  a  great  experience  for 
Katherine.  She  took  the  place  historically,  not  as  she 
had  taken  it  before,  as  the  setting  for  a  love  dream. 
She  had  had  a  recurrence  of  the  violent  longing  for 
Lord  Algy  when  they  arrived  at  the  Gare  du  Nord,  that 
strangely  sudden  seizure  of  passion  to  which  she  seemed 
periodically  subject;  when  she  knew  that  if  at  the  mo- 
ment Fate  were  to  offer  him  to  her  again  she  would  find 
the  temptation  of  acceptance  too  strong  to  resist.  She 
was  afterwards  always  extremely  thankful  that  this  did 
not  occur,  and  that  she  was  given  time  to  resume  her 
self-command. 

When  first  she  drove  down  the  Champs  Elysees,  a 
strange  sense  of  fear  came  over  her — what  if  after  all 
that  Palatial  Hotel  episode  in  her  life  should  have 
power  one  day  to  raise  up  its  ghost  and  destroy  the 
fabric  of  her  ambitions.'*  The  more  she  saw  of  the  great 
world,  the  more  she  realised  that  such  a  breach  of  con- 
vention, such  a  frank  laying  aside  of  all  recognised 
standards  of  morality,  would  never  be  forgiven  if  dis- 
covered. Incidents  of  the  kind  occurred  every  day,  but 
must  always  be  rigorously  kept  out  of  sight.  She  grew 
to  understand  that  it  is  a  much  more  punishable  of- 
fence to  hold  unorthodox  views  and  act  honestly  by 
them,  than  to  profess  orthodox,  stringent  virtue,  and 
continually  blink  at  the  acting  against  conscience,  by 
secret  indulgences! 

One  day  it  chanced  that  she  could  discuss  the  point 
with  her  mistress. 

"You  must  remember  the  good  of  the  community  al- 
232 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

ways  first,  girl,"  Lady  Garribardine  had  said.  "If  you 
want  to  benefit  humanity  you  must  not  be  too  much 
occupied  with  the  individual.  For  the  good  of  the  com- 
munity certain  standards  must  be  kept  up,  and  sensible 
people  should  put  on  blinkers  when  examining  the  frail- 
ties of  human  nature.  Nature  says  one  thing  and  civili- 
sation and  orthodox  morality  another;  there  must  log- 
ically be  an  eternal  conflict  going  on  between  the  two 
and  the  only  cliance  for  souls  to  achieve  orthodox  mo- 
rality is  for  hypocrisy  to  assist  them  by  hiding  bad 
examples  given  when  nature  has  had  an  outburst  and 
won  the  game.  If  you  won't  conform  to  these  prac- 
tical rules  it  is  wiser  and  less  harmful  to  your  neigh- 
bours for  you  to  go  and  live  in  the  wilds — I  am  all  for 
tenue,  I  am  all  for  the  uphfting  of  the  soul  where  it 
is  possible,  and  decency  and  good  taste  where  it  is 
not." 

*'I  see,"  responded  Katherine.  "One  must  in  this,  as 
in  all  other  things,  look  to  the  end." 

"You  have  indeed  said  it !"  Her  Ladyship  cried. 
"That  faculty  is  the  quintessence  of  statesmanship,  as 
it  is  of  wisdom,  and  one  we  never  see  displayed  by  a 
radical  government !" 

As  the  season  went  on  in  London,  various  peeps  at 
society  were  afforded  Katherine,  and  as  her  eyes 
opened,  and  the  keenness  of  her  understanding  devel- 
oped, she  learned  many  useful  lessons. 

On  rare  Saturday  afternoons,  she  visited  the  mu- 
seums again  with  Gerard  Strobridge,  to  her  intense 
delight,  and  with  much  pain  as  well  as  pleasure  to  him, 
and  when  the  big  Saturday  to  Monday  parties  came 
down  to  Blissington,  Lady  Garribardine  often  found 
her  secretary  invaluable  for  the  entertainment  of  un- 
avoidable bores. 

233 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 


Thus  by  the  autumn,  when  Gerard's  aching  soul  and 
denied  passions  thought  to  take  solace  in  flight  on  that 
mission  to  Teheran,  Katherine  Bush  was  an  established 
institution  at  tea  time,  and  had  acquired  the  art  of  con- 
versation in  a  degree  which  would  have  pleased  Ches- 
terfield himself ! 

To  make  herself  liked  by  women  was  the  immediate 
objective  she  had  laid  down  for  herself.  Of  what  use 
to  gain  the  little  pleasure  by  the  way,  of  the  gratifica- 
tion of  her  vanity  from  the  incense  of  men?  She  must 
wait  until  some  one  man  appeared  upon  the  scene,  the 
securing  of  whom  would  be  her  definite  goal — then  she 
could  pursue  her  aims  without  the  stumbhng-block  of 
female  antagonism. 

She  learned  many  things  from  her  employer:  toler- 
ance— kindness  of  heart — supreme  contempt  for  all 
shams,  apart  from  that  of  necessary  moral  hypocrisy, 
which  seeming  paradox  she  grew  to  realise  was  a  sen- 
sible assistance  to  the  attainment  of  a  general  moral 
ideal.  Her  wits  sharpened,  her  brain  expanded,  her 
cultivation  increased  and  her  manners  assumed  an  ex- 
quisite refinement  and  graciousness;  and  when  the  sec- 
ond Christmas  came  and  the  New  Year  of  1913,  no  one 
could  possibly  have  discovered  the  faintest  trace  of 
Bindon's  Green,  or  of  the  lower  middle  class  from  which 
she  had  sprung. 

Lady  Garribardinc  had  materially  augmented  her 
salary,  and  substantial  cheques  found  their  way  to  poor 
Gladys,  whose  baby  was  born  dead,  much  to  Matilda's 
disappointment. 

"But  it  is  often  like  that,"  she  told  Katherine  as 
they  walked  in  the  park  one  Sunday,  "with  a  seven 
months'  child,  and  Glad  don't  take  on  about  it  as  I 
should." 

234 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

Mrs.  Robert  Hartley  was  firmly  determined  to  go  to 
America. 

"We've  had  enough  hell  in  these  few  months,  Bob,'* 
she  informed  her  husband  as  she  was  getting  better, 
"and  I  am  going  to  be  like  Katherine  and  make  a  ca- 
reer for  myself.  I'm  tired  of  your  grumbling  and  your 
rudeness  to  me,  and  every  bit  of  love  I  had  for  you  is 
gone — We've  no  baby — There's  nothing  to  keep  us 
chained  up  together  like  a  pair  of  animals,  and  I'm  off 
to  make  my  fortune — so  I  tell  you  flat." 

Mr.  Robert  Hartley  asserted  the  rights  of  an  Eng- 
lish husband,  but  to  no  avail.  Gladys  had  the  money 
from  her  sister  in  her  hand  to  start  herself  with,  and  a 
warm  recommendation  from  Madame  Ermantine,  and 
so  in  the  early  autumn  sailed  for  New  York  and  al- 
most immediately  obtained  lucrative  employment. 

Thus  the  family  at  Bindon's  Green  was  reduced  to 
Matilda,  Ethel,  and  the  two  young  men,  and  still  fur- 
ther diminished  in  the  New  Year  by  the  marriage  (and 
retirement  to  a  villa  of  his  own!)  of  Mr.  Frederick 
Bush  with  the  genteel  Mabel  Cawber! 

The  wedding  of  the  pair  was  a  day  of  unalloyed 
pleasure  to  Matilda.  Katherine  had  manoeuvred  so 
that  she  could  not  possibly  be  spared  to  attend  it ;  thus 
the  festivities  were  unclouded  by  the  restraint  which 
her  presence — quite  undcsired  by  herself — always  im- 
posed upon  her  relations.  They  were  all  admittedly 
uncomfortable  with  her,  not  she  with  them.  They  felt 
in  some  vague  way  that  they  were  of  less  account  in 
their  own  eyes  when  in  her  company,  and  that  an  im- 
passable gulf  now  separated  them.  They  had  nothing 
to  complain  of,  Katherine  gave  herself  no  airs,  she 
neither  patronised  them  nor  talked  over  their  heads,  but 
a  subtle  something  divided  them,  and  all  were  glad  of 

235 


THE  CAEEER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

her  seemingly  enforced  absence.  All  except  the  bride, 
■wlio  was  sorry  the  poor  secretary  sister-in-law  should 
not  be  chastened  by  witnessing  her  triumph ! 

For  was  she  not  having  four  bridesmaids  dressed  in 
pink  pongee  silk  with  blue  sashes,  and  two  pages  to 
carry  her  court  train !  Pages  in  "Renaissance"  cos- 
tume. The  Lady  Agatha  Tollington's  were  so  de- 
scribed in  the  Flare,  and  why  should  not  hers  be  also.'' 
"Renaissance !"  She  did  not  know  what  the  word 
meant,  but  it  had  such  a  nice  sound  and  seemed  so  well 
to  fit  the  picturesque  suits  advertised  as  copied  from 
Millais'  immortal  Bubbles  which  had  been  secured  at 
the  local  emporium  to  adorn  the  two  smug^faced  infants 
who  would  carry — very  shamcfacedl}'^  it  must  be  ad- 
mitted— the  confection  of  cheap  satin  and  imitation 
lace  which  would  depend  from  Miss  Cawber's  angular 
shoulders. 

If  Katherine  could  have  seen  all  that!  Miss  Cawber 
felt  that  a  humbler  mien  in  this  obstreperous  creature 
might  have  resulted ! 

But  Katherine  never  saw  it,  and  when  Matilda  re- 
counted all  the  glories  to  her,  she  had  the  awkwardness 
to  ask  why  Mabel  had  indulged  in  a  court  train? 

"Bridesmaids  were  natural  enough,"  she  said,  "if 
you  all  wanted  to  have  some  gaiety  and  a  jolly  party, 
but  Fred's  wife  will  never  go  to  Court,  so  why  pages 
and  a  train?" 

"Oh — well,"  Matilda  returned  in  annoyance,  "who's 
to  know  that  at  Bindon's  Green?  And  it  has  given  her 
ever  such  a  tip-top  position  to  begin  her  home  upon. 
The  Perkins  girls  and  Bob  Hartley's  mother  and  cous- 
ins were  just  mad  with  envy,  and  Fred  as  pleased  as 
Punch  to  have  such  a  stunning  turn-out  at  his  side  to 
^walk  down  the  aisle  with." 

236 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

"I  am  so  glad  you  are  all  happy  then,"  Katherine 
said  kindly. 

How  merciful,  she  reflected  when  she  had  left  her  sis- 
ter at  Stanhope  Gate,  that  their  ambitions  were  so  eas- 
ily satisfied !  How  merciful  also  that  only  Matilda's 
affection  for  her  need  count  in  her  future  connection 
with  the  family — and  Matilda  might  at  no  distant  date 
be  a  bride  too !  The  bride  of  Katherine's  old  devoted 
admirer,  Charlie  Prodgers !  While  Ethel  announced 
her  intention  of  following  Gladys'  example  and  migrat- 
ing to  America  the  moment  she  was  seventeen,  in  the 
spring. 

Thus,  visits  to  Bindon's  Green  were  no  longer  de- 
sired by  the  inhabitants  of  Laburnum  Villa,  nor  of  Tal- 
bot Lodge,  where  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Frederick  Bush  were 
installed,  and  Katherine  felt  she  could  drift  from  them 
all  without  hurting  their  feelings,  indeed,  with  mutual 
satisfaction. 

So  the  winter  of  1912  drew  to  a  close,  and  the  spring 
of  1913  came,  and  with  it  Gerard  Strobridge. 

He  was  well  and  sunburnt  and  seemed  more  resigned 
on  his  first  visit  after  he  returned  to  Blissington  ac- 
companied by  Lady  Beatrice. 

Katherine  was  pouring  out  the  tea — now  her  daily 
task — when  he  came  in,  and  a  glad  thrill  ran  through 
her.  Would  he  see  any  change  in  her.''  Would  he  be 
pleased  with  her  advancement.'*  He  was  her  friend,  and 
her  helpmate  in  literature,  and  never  by  word  or  look 
did  she  recognise  that  he  could  feel  any  other  emotion 
but  a  platonic  one  for  her. 

Her  attractions  always  struck  Gerard  afresh  after 
his  absences,  and  made  him  remark  upon  them  each 
time  he  returned. 

"How  beautiful  you  have  grown,  Katherine,"  he  said 

237 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

when  presently  they  had  a  chance  of  talking  a  little 
apart.  "You  are  the  most  wonderful  thing  in  the  world 
— I  came  back  hoping  to  find  you  less  attractive,  and 
you  are  just  as  fascinating  as  ever — more  so — Oh !  shall 
I  never  make  you  care  the  least  for  me?" 

"Never." 

"It  is  a  wonder  that  I  should  love  you  so  madly,  when 
you  are  as  cold  as  ice  to  mc,  and  never  melt — I  be- 
lieve you  could  see  me  on  the  rack  without  turning  a 
hair — if  it  suited  your  purpose !" 

"Probably." 

But  she  smiled  softly,  so  he  asked  eagerly: 

"Is  it  so,  Fatherine.''" 

"Will  you  i.cvcr  understand  even  after  the  hundreds 
and  hundreds  of  talks  we  have  had.'^  I  have  marked  out 
a  settled,  determined  path  in  hfe  which  I  intend  to  fol- 
low— so  that  even  if  I  loved  you  I  would  crush  all  emo- 
tion out  of  myself,  since  indulging  in  it  would  ruin  my 
aims,  and  drag  us  both  to  social  perdition  meanwhile. 
It  is  extremely  fatiguing  to  have  to  recommence  ex- 
plaining our  positions  every  time  you  come  back  from 
abroad.  As  a  friend  I  delight  in  you — I  love  our  talks, 
our  discussions  and  controversies.  I  have  tried  in  every 
way  to  improve  under  your  tuition,  but  if  you  will  be 
weak  and  give  way  to  other  feelings — it  is  you  who  put 
yourself  on  the  rack — And  if  you  do  it  I  cannot  help  it, 
it  cannot  change  my  determination,  even  if  I  see  you 
suffering." 

"How  can  a  man  worship  anything  so  logical?" 

"I  don't  know;  what  I  do  know  is  that  I  never 
mean  to  admit  that  you  have  any  feelings  for  me  but 
those  I  have  for  you,  of  warm  friendship.  I  shall  al- 
ways act  as  if  you  were  only  my  friend,  and  only  con- 
sider any  of  my  actions   as   affecting  you  from  that 

2-^3 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

point  of  view.  If  you  are  hurt  it  is  your  own  fault, 
I  cannot  be  responsible  for  the  pain." 

He  clenched  his  hands  with  sudden  violence. 

"And  if  I  refused  to  bear  it — if  I  broke  all  friend- 
ship and  never  spoke  to  you  again — what  then.'*" 

"You  would  be  quite  right  to  do  so  if  it  gave  you 
any  satisfaction.  I  should  miss  you — but  I  should  un- 
derstand." 

He  gave  a  faint  groan. 

"Well,  I  have  not  the  strength  to  throw  off  your  in- 
fluence. I  always  think  I  have  done  it  when  I  go  to 
foreign  chmes,  and  I  dwell  upon  the  pleasure  that  your 
intellect  gives  me.  I  come  back  quite  resigned,  but  the 
first  sight  of  you,  the  sight  of  those  red,  wicked  lips  and 
that  white  skin  drives  me  mad  once  more,  and  I  feel  I  do 
not  care  whether  you  have  any  brain  or  no,  in  the  over- 
whelming desire  to  hold  you  in  my  arms." 

Katherine  gave  an  exclamation  of  weariness. 

"Oh,  it  is  tiresome  that  you  must  always  have  these 
scenes  when  you  return,  they  spoil  everything.  You 
force  me  to  seem  cruel.  Why  can't  you  accept  the  sit- 
uation.^" 

"Because  I  am  a  man  and  you  are  a  woman,"  and  his 
eyes  sought  hers  with  passion,  "and  all  the  rest  of  emo- 
tion is  but  make-believe ;  the  only  real  part  is  the  tan- 
gible. To  have  and  to  hold,  to  clasp  and  to  kiss,  to 
strain  the  loved  one  next  the  heart — Katherine,  you 
make  me  suffer  the  tortures  of  the  damned." 

"No — you  permit  yourself  to  suffer  them,  that  makes 
all  the  difference.  If  I  made  you,  then  I  should  feel  as 
wicked  as  you  say  my  lips  look." 

Here  Lady  Beatrice  interrupted  them  in  her  plain- 
tive, drawling  voice. 

"Gerard,  can  you  imagine  it!  Aunt  Sarah  has  just 
2S9 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

had  a  letter  from  Tom  Hawthorne  by  the  evening's 
post,  announcing  that  Lao  has  quietly  married  that  boy 
in  Paris,  and  they  are  going  to  Monte  Carlo  for  their 
honeymoon!  Isn't  it  quite  too  tragic  for  them,  poor 
things !" 

Lady  Garribardine  joined  the  group,  with  the  epistle 
in  her  hand. 

"Liio  was  always  a  fool,  but  I  believed  even  the  sense 
of  a  rabbit  would  have  kept  her  from  this !" 

"They  are  madly  in  love,  dear  Sarah!"  old  Gwendo- 
line d'Estaire  said  sentimentally. 

Her  ladyship  snorted. 

"Tut,  tut!  Lao  is  forty-two  years  old  and  the  boy 
not  more  than  six  and  twentj^  sixteen  years  between 
them!  Quite  an  immaterial  discrepancy  while  he  re- 
mained a  lover — but  a  menace  which  even  the  strongest 
brain  cannot  combat  when  the  creature  turns  into  a 
husband.  The  situation  is  ridiculous  at  once.  It  means 
that  the  woman  has  to  spend  her  time  not  only  fighting 
old  age  as  we  all  have  to  do,  but  watching  for  every  sign 
of  weariness  in  the  youth,  trembling  at  every  fresh 
wrinkle  in  herself,  and  always  on  the  tiptoe  of  anxiety, 
so  that  she  loses  whatever  charm  lured  the  poor  child 
into  her  net." 

"But  really  Lao  had  made  it  so  evident — the  affair — 
perhaps  she  thought " 

"That  a  second  wedding  ring  was  essential !  Ridicu- 
lous nonsense,  Gwendoline !  We  are  not  of  the  bour- 
geoisie— there  is  an  epidemic  of  these  rich  widows 
rushing  these  penniless  young  men  into  matrimony.  No 
one  objects  to  their  amusing  themselves,  but  these  re- 
spectable unions  offend  the  sensibilities  at  once  from 
their  obvious  unsuitableness.  The  woman  loses  prestige 
— almost  caste,  I  was  going  to  say.     The  man  grows 

240 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATIIERINE  BUSH 

either  sheepish  or  intolerably  insolent,  and  if  you  no- 
tice, the  pair  eventually  drop  out  of  all  agreeable  so- 
ciety." 

"How  awful  to  contemplate!"  and  Lady  Beatrice 
sighed  sadly.  "To  think  that  after  one  had  pretended 
for  years  that  one  was  full  of  emotions  and  sex  and 
horrible  things,  one  should  succumb  to  them  really 
— It  is  a  cruel  retribution — Gerard,  aren't  you  inter- 
ested?" 

For  Mr.  Strobridge  had  raised  a  whimsical  eyebrow. 

"Perfectly  thrilled.  I  am  amply  revenged  for  her  in- 
difference to  me !" 

"Is  it  not  possible  for  them  to  be  happy,  then.^" 
Katherine  whispered  to  him  in  the  din  of  a  chorus  of  re- 
marks the  news  had  provoked. 

"They  have  about  a  hundred  to  one  chance  for  a 
few  months ;  then  either  will  suffer,  probably  both. 
Oh !  the  intolerable  bond  of  matrimony ! — Unless,  of 
course " 

Katherine  shrugged  her  shoulders. 

"Yes,  I  suppose  so,  if  one  was  not  quite  sure  what 
the  reason  was  that  one  was  marrying  for,  and  had 
not  weighed  it  and  found  out  if  it  would  be  worth  while 
or  no." 

"What  will  you  marry  for.''" 

"Contentment,  I  expect." 

"And  what  is  contentments — only  the  obtaining  of 
one's  heart's  desire." 

"I  shall  not  marry  unless  it  is  to  obtain  my  heart's 
desire,"  and  that  sphinxlike  smile  grew  round  her 
mouth,  which  always  roused  Gerard  Strobridge's  curi- 
osity. After  all  this  time,  he  could  never  quite  fathom 
what  was  going  on  inside  that  clever  brain. 

"I  refuse  to  think  about  it — Let  us  talk  about  some- 
241 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

thing  else — books  you  have  been  reading — something  I 
can  do  for  you." 

"There  is  one  thing  I  would  like  you  to  do  very  much 
— only  I  do  not  know  if  it  could  be  managed.  Last 
week,  Her  Ladysliip  allowed  me  to  go  with  Miss  Ar- 
abella d'Estaire  to  see  the  House  of  Commons.  I  would 
so  much  like  to  see  the  House  of  Lords  and  hear  a  de- 
bate there  before  the  Easter  recess.  I  am  trying  to 
study  politics." 

"That  will  not  be  very  difficult.  I  can  get  an  order 
from  Blackrod;  tliere  will  be  something  to  listen  to 
next  week,  when  I  believe  my  aunt  will  be  in  town.  I 
shall  love  to  gratify  your  wish,  Katherine." 

"We  must  ask  Lady  Garribardine  first  if  I  may." 

"Model  of  circumspection!     Of  course." 

Then  the  company  drifted  from  the  tea  table  and 
Miss  Bush  returned  to  her  sanctum,  while  Gerard  Stro- 
bridge  went  up  to  his  aunt's  sitting-room. 

They  talked  of  numbers  of  things,  and  at  last  that 
lady  said: 

"G., — more  than  ever  I  understand  your  passion  for 
my  secretary.  I  do  not  even  find  your  fidelity  ridicu- 
lous ;  she  is  one  of  the  most  fascinating  creatures  I 
have  ever  met.  A  masterpiece  of  balance  and  common 
sense,  she  will  rise  to  the  highest  position  one  day — 
mark  my  words,  boy !" 

"I  daresay — I  cannot  feel  interested  in  that.  I  am 
still  horribly  in  love.  I  thought  Teheran  had  dulled  the 
ache  for  her,  but  it  has  not." 

Lady  Garribardine  sighed  as  she  arranged  a  cushion. 

"I  live  in  terror  that  one  day  she  will  come  and  tell 
me  quite  honestly  that  she  has  learned  all  that  my  sit- 
uation can  teach  her,  and  that  she  is  going  on  to  some- 
thing new." 

242 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

"She  could  not  be  so  ungrateful." 

"It  would  not  be  Ingratitude — she  works  for  monej, 
not  for  love.  It  would  be  part  of  her  plan  of  life.  Sen- 
timental emotion  does  not  enter  into  it — that  is  what 
makes  her  so  interesting,  and  so  invaluable." 

"But  I  know,  Seraphim,  that  she  has  a  deep  affec- 
tion for  you — she  has  expressed  it  to  me  many  times. 
You  are  her  model  for  all  fine  conduct  and  point  of 
view." 

"Yes — the  girl  is  devoted  to  me,  I  think.  Well,  we 
must  hope  that  she  is  content  here,  for  I  do  not  know 
how  I  could  quite  get  on  without  her.  I  have  had  her 
down  for  a  little  at  each  party  during  the  winter,  G. 
She  literally  devours  bores  for  me,  and  gets  all  the 
cranks  into  good  tempers.  And  all  the  women  like  her ; 
that   shows   triumphant   astuteness   on   her  part." 

"Triumphant!  You  did  not  after  all  marry  her  to 
Sir  John  while  I  was  away.  I  almost  hoped  that  you 
would  do  so  when  I  left  in  October." 

"Sir  John  was  willing;  he  wanted  but  a  hint  from  me 
to  have  shown  all  the  ardour  of  a  young  lover.  One 
even  pictured  verses — it  is  in  this  way  that  it  takes 
aged  politicians.  One  imagined  a  discreet  wedding  and 
almost  by  now  the  inevitable  preparatory  layette ! — But 
Miss  Bush  would  have  none  of  it !  When  I  approached 
her  upon  the  subject  she  looked  rae  straight  in  the  face 
and  said  quite  respectfully,  but  with  a  hauteur  befitting 
a  D'Estaire,  that  she  had  other  ^dews,  and  while  sensible 
of  my  kindness  she  must  decline  the  honour !  I  was  im- 
mensely diverted." 

"Danger  is  still  ahead,  then — She  has  told  me  just 
now  that  she  means  only  to  marry  when  she  can  gain 
her  heart's  desire — but  what  that  is  God — or  the  devil 
• — alone  knows." 

243 


^HE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

Lady  Garribardine  looked  at  him  shrewdly  for  a 
second ;  she  did  not  speak,  so  ]\Ir.  Strobridge  went  on : 

"By  the  wa}',  she  wants  me  to  take  her  and  Arabella 
to  hear  a  debate  in  the  House  of  Lords — may  I?" 

"Of  course." 

If  he  had  not  been  so  preoccupied  with  his  own 
thoughts  he  would  have  remarked  his  aunt's  tone,  but 
he  was  absently  staring  out  of  the  window  and  did  not 
even  see  her  face  with  its  sagacious,  querying  expres- 
sion. 

"She  is  greatly  interested  in  politics,  I  believe ;  she  is 
well  up  in  them  already — she  is  well  up  in  everything. 
I  daresay  she  could  open  a  bazaar,  or  give  an  address 
better  than  I  could  myself.  I  can  spare  her  next 
Wednesday  afternoon  when  the  debate  on  the  Land  Bill 
will  be  in  full  swing.     You  can  arrange  it." 

"I  will. — Seraphim,  isn't  it  pitiful  about  poor  Lao ! — 
Younger  or  older  it  would  not  have  mattered  quite  so 
much — but  at  forty-two — Heavens !  The  only  thing 
the  poor  darling  had — her  beauty — won't  be  worth 
looking  at  in  a  year  or  so.  The  mentality  of  women  is 
beyond  me,  so  utterly  unaccountable  their  actions  are.'* 

"Not  at  all,  my  precious  G.  They  are  as  plain  as  a 
pikestaff — only  any  man  can  be  bamboozled  by  the  sil- 
liest of  them.  Tlicy  all  answer  to  type  and  sex.  Lao 
has  the  brains  of  her  type,  the  female  guinea  pig,  raised 
under  artificial  conditions  which  have  altered,  but  not 
stifled,  the  guinea  pig's  strongest  instinct — prolific  re- 
production. It  came  out  in  Liio,  not  in  the  desire  to 
have  a  numerous  family,  but  in  an  intense  desire  to  at- 
tract the  male — pas  pour  le  bon  motif,  hien  entendu! — 
but  for  variety — Then  she  falls  in  love  at  a  foolish  age, 
and  the  emotion,  being  one  of  nature,  the  instinct  rights 
itself  for  tlie  moment,  and  swamps  the  effect  of  artificial 

244) 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

conditions.  Hence  the  passion  for  the  wedding  ring — 
vows — the  male  in  the  cage,  all  unconscious  prepara- 
tion for  a  family — the  last  thing  she  would  desire,  in 
fact — and  all  sense  of  proportion  lost  sight  of." 

Mr.  Strobridgc  laughed  delightedly. 

"You  should  write  a  'Guide  to  the  Knowledge  of 
Women,'  Seraphim,  for  the  enlightenment  of  your  men 
friends." 

His  aunt  smiled,  showing  all  her  strong,  well-pre- 
served white  teeth. 

"I  would  like  to,  but  not  one  of  them  would  speak 
to  me  again,  they  would  tear  my  new  grey  toupee  from 
my  snowy  locks,  and  denounce  me  as  a  liar,  because  I 
would  tell  the  one  thing  they  strongly  dislike — the 
truth!" 

*'Yes,  a  thoroughly  lovable  feminine  woman  loathes 
the  truth,  doesn't  she !  I  have  always  found  my  great- 
est success  with  her  lay  in  a  distortion  of  every  fact  to 
suit  her  personal  view.  Katherine  Bush  and  yourself, 
sweet  Aunt,  are  the  only  two  of  your  sex  that  I  have 
ever  met  whom  a  man  need  not  humour,  and  can  speak 
his  real  mind  out  to." 

And  with  this  he  kissed  her  fat  hand  and  took  his  way 
from  her  presence  down  the  gallery  to  his  room  to  dress 
for  dinner. 

But  all  the  while  Stirling  was  coaxing  the  real  silver 
and  auxiliary  iron  grey  waves  into  a  superbly  simple 
triumph  of  hairdressing,  her  ladyship  wore  a  slight 
frown  of  concentrated  thought. 

What  did  it  mean,  this  desire  on  the  part  of  her  sec- 
retary to  see  the  House  of  Lords  ? 

"Vermondsay  —  Hankhurst  —  Upper  Harringway." 
She  counted  over  a  long  list  of  the  names  of  peers  who 
frequented  Blissington  and  Berkeley  Square — but  at 

24.5 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

the  end  she  shook  her  head.  *'No — none  of  these — Who 
then — and  what  for?" 

Katherine  Bush  was  no  guinea  pig  answering  to  type. 
What  type  was  she,  by  the  way?  A  complicated,  con- 
glomerated mixture,  not  easy  to  dissect  at  any  time, 
was  this  new  move  a  manifestation  of  sex — or  type? 

Time  alone  would  show — Until  then  the  solution  must 
remain  in  the  lap  of  the  gods.  And  in  all  cases,  dinner 
should  not  wait,  and  it  behooved  a  hostess  to  be 
punctual. 


CHAPTER  XXII 

THE  outside  of  the  Houses  of  Parliament  had  al- 
ways affected  Katherine.  They  looked  stately 
and  English — and  when  they — herself  and  old 
Arabella  d'Estaire  and  Gerard — walked  through  the 
corridors  of  the  House  of  Lords,  and  came  at  last  to  the 
huge  vaulted  chamber  itself,  and  so  to  the  pen  where 
they  might  stand  to  hear  the  debate,  her  heart  began 
to  beat  with  some  strange  excitement. 

They  went  into  the  left  side  enclosure,  and  so  could 
have  a  facing  view  of  the  Opposition  benches. 

Some  member  of  the  Government  had  just  begun  a 
speech  as  they  entered,  and  Katherine  had  time  to  look 
about  her.  What  types  to  study!  And  what  an  at- 
mosphere of  calm,  after  the  scene  in  the  House  of  Com- 
mons she  had  witnessed  on  her  visit  there!  A  din  of 
angry  voices  and  uncontrolled  emotion.  Here  if  people 
felt  anything  it  did  not  appear  on  the  surface.  Kath- 
erine leaned  upon  the  second  carved  griffin  which  helps 
to  adorn  the  partition  which  separates  the  pen  from  the 
sacred  floor  of  the  House  itself.  From  there  her  eyes 
travelled  from  face  to  face  opposite  her.  She  recog- 
nised several,  indeed  many  whom  she  had  seen  either  in 
London  or  at  Blissington — but  who  were  those  others, 
some  with  features  far  from  aristocratic? 

She  now  examined  the  Ministerial  benches,  and  made 
many  reflections,  while  she  only  half  listened  to  the 
rather  lame  string  of  sentences  which  were  falhng  from 
a  very  refined-looking,  carefully  preserved  gentleman, 

247 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

who  seemed  little  interested  in  his  subject,  and  almost 
ashamed  to  be  speaking  from  that  side  of  the  House. 

Then  from  the  end  by  the  throne  two  newcomers  en- 
tered, and  took  their  seats,  one  on  the  front  Opposi- 
tion bench. 

For  the  moment,  Katherine's  eye  had  followed  the 
jounger  of  the  two  who  went  towards  the  back,  so  that 
she  did  not  become  conscious  of  the  personality  of  the 
other  until,  at  the  conclusion  of  the  Minister's  speech, 
he  rose  and  laid  some  papers  down  upon  the  table  in 
front  of  him  amidst  a  sudden  thrill  of  interest  which 
noticeably  ran  through  the  assembly. 

He  was  a  very  tall  and  arrogant-looking  person, 
rather  thin  and  upright;  and  in  everything  about  him 
there  was  a  strange  old-world  suggestion,  which  charac-^ 
terised  even  the  cutting  and  brushing  of  his  hair  .and 
the  shape  of  his  coat.  The  brow  was  lofty  and  broadj 
and  the  thin  iron-grey  locks  were  combed  straight  back 
from  it,  and  seemed  to  be  perhaps  rather  longer  than 
those  of  the  young  men.  He  had  very  large  eyes  deeply 
Bet,  probaby  dark  blue,  Katherine  thought,  and  his 
nose  was  prominently  aquihne.  He  was  clean-shaven, 
all  but  a  small  pair  of  close-cut  whiskers,  and  this  with 
some  peculiarity  about  the  shirt,  and  the  frockcoat  he 
wore,  as  well  as  a  black  satin  stock,  stamped  him  as 
someone  of  an  altogether  different  generation — cen- 
tury, Katherine  had  almost  said  to  herself ! 

Who  could  he  be? 

There  was  some  picture  she  had  seen  which  he  re- 
minded her  of.  She  thought  for  a  minute.  Yes,  It  was 
a  certain  print  which  hung  In  a  passage  at  Blissington, 
of  the  Duke  of  Wellington  in  evening  dress,  a  profile, 
with  the  ribbon  of  the  Garter  across  his  breast.  This 
man  had  something  of  the  same  personality. 

248 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

His  whole  appearance  was  so  unusual,  so  almost 
startling,  that  had  anyone  else  attempted  to  achieve  the 
same  result  he  would  have  looked  either  vulgarly  dra- 
matic or  quite  grotesque,  but  with  this  man  even  the 
old-fashioned  clothes  with  their  suspicion  of  a  by-gone 
dandyism  seemed  to  add  to  his  immense  distinction. 
Katherine  thought  that  if  she  could  have  drawn  a  pic- 
ture of  a  typical  aristocrat  of  the  Tory  persuasion,  of 
perhaps  a  hundred  years  ago,  this  man  would  have 
made  a  perfect  model. 

And  now  he  began  to  speak! 

And  of  all  the  voices  she  had  ever  heard  or  admired 
from  beyond  the  half-high  glass  screen  at  Liv  and 
Dev's,  or  listened  to  in  her  present  situation,  none  had 
ever  struck  her  as  so  ultra  refined  as  the  perfectly  mod- 
ulated tones  now  vibrating  through  the  house. 

His  words  were  selected  with  judgment  and  grace, 
and  showed  the  command  of  an  uncommon  vocabulary. 
She  had  thought  Gerard  Strobridge's  sentences  were 
well-chosen,  and  cultivated,  but  they  would  sound  quite 
modern  and  almost  colloquial,  she  felt,  compared  with 
the  highly-polished  flow  of  language  which  poured  forth 
from  this  clear-cut  mouth.  The  whole  mien  of  the  man 
expressed  intense  pride  and  dignity,  and  a  perfect  un- 
self-consciousness.  He  gesticulated  very  little  and  kept 
one  hand  with  the  thumb  resting  above  a  button  of  his 
fastened  coat,  so  that  she  could  see  his  hand  plainly, 
and  its  shape,  which  was  in  keeping  with  the  rest  of  his 
appearance,  and  on  his  little  finger  was  a  great  graven 
emerald,  or  some  green  stone  in  a  ring,  which  caught  a 
ray  of  light  and  sparkled  for  a  second. 

How  was  it  that  so  noticeable  a  personage  had  never 
been  to  Berkeley  Square  or  Blissington.^ 

He  was  of  Her  Ladyship's  political  convictions,  too, 
249 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

and  must  be  of  importance  to  occupy  so  prominent  a 
place.  And  presently  she  began  to  take  in  the  words 
he  was  saying,  and  gathered  from  a  sentence  which  re- 
marked upon  his  "long  absence  from  your  Ladyship's 
House"  that  he  must  have  been  for  some  time  out  of 
England. 

Then  she  grew  fascinated  with  the  speech  itself,  it 
was  so  witty  and  filled  with  an  exquisite  sarcasm.  Such 
must  have  been  the  speeches  of  Chesterfield,  she  thought, 
in  this  same  House  of  Lords  more  than  a  century  and 
a  half  ago. 

How  old  could  he  be?  Fifty — forty-five — forty?  It 
was  impossible  to  say. 

Suddenly  she  was  conscious  of  a  deep  enthralled  in- 
terest affecting  her,  and  she  turned  and  whispered  to 
Mr.  Strobridge  at  her  side : 

"Who  is  that  man  speaking  now — I  would  so  much 
like  to  know?" 

"The  Duke  of  Mordryn — is  he  not  a  type?  The  last 
real  Tory  left  in  this  age." 

And  then  Katherine  remembered  that  letters  ad- 
dressed to  this  name,  and  written  in  Lady  Garribar- 
dine's  own  hand,  ha  '  often  gone  with  the  rest  to  be 
posted,  always  to  addresses  abroad,  ever  since  she  had 
been  in  her  service.  And  often,  too,  she  recalled,  the 
Duke  had  been  spoken  of  as  being  here  or  there,  and 
gradually  on  his  way  home,  but  nothing  about  him  had 
particularly  intercoted  or  struck  her,  except  the  name 
Mordryn — it  was  a  perfect  name ! 

She  began  piecing  together  what  she  knew  about  him. 
At  Liv  and  Dcv's  she  had  been  obliged  to  know  a  good 
deal  about  all  Dukes ;  their  sub-titles,  son's  courtesy 
titles,  and  family  names.  This  string  came  back  to  her 
mechanically — "Duke    of   Mordryn,    Marquis    of   Val- 

250 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 


frcyne,  Earl  of  Rievaulx"  and  a  number  of  Baronies, 
while  the  family  appellation  was  Monluce,  and  the  chief 
place  of  several  residences  Valfreyne  in  Dorsetshire. 
She  remembered  too  that  the  Duchess  had  died  less  than 
two  years  ago. 

After  this  her  absorbed  interest  concentrated  upon 
the  man  himself  and  she  almost  felt  a  little  breathless 
when  he  sat  down;  and  a  moment  or  two  after,  when 
he  seemed  to  have  leisure  to  look  about  him,  she  met  his 
eyes  and  she  could  see  that  they  were  indeed  a  very 
dark  blue  and  that  his  gaze  consciously  rested  upon 
her. 

She  did  not  turn  hers  away ;  she  was  fascinated,  and 
slowly  there  came  a  thought  to  her: 

"This  is  what  fate  means  for  me — "  And  for  a  few 
seconds  she  felt  faint  and  icy  cold,  so  great  was  her 
emotion. 

The  unknown  goal  of  all  her  striving  was  revealed  at 
last!  The  position  of  this  man's  wife  would  be  the 
greatest  to  be  achieved  in  England,  for  prestige  and 
influence.     And  it  should  he  hers. 

She  heard  and  saw  and  knew  nothing  which  happened 
after  this,  only  what  was  spoken  and  done  by  the  Duke, 
and  presently,  Miss  Arabella  d'Estaire  growing  tired, 
they  went  out,  their  exit  accelerated  by  Katherine  who 
saw  that  His  Grace  had  risen  and  was  coming  their  way. 
They  stopped  for  a  second  just  at  the  place  where  thet 
hats  are  left  and  he  caught  them  up  and  shook  hands 
with  Mr.  Strobridge  and  Miss  d'Estaire. 

"I  am  very  glad  to  see  you,  Gerard,"  he  said,  "it  is 
good  to  be  at  home  again,"  and  then  he  gave  some  gal- 
lant greeting  to  Miss  d'Estaire,  and  paused,  absently 
looking  at  Katherine,  who  stood  by  demurely,  present- 
ing an  attractive  picture  in  her  grey  suit  and  hat.    All 

251 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

care  was  now  taken  of  her  ample  tresses,  which  were 
arranged  to  show  the  smallness  of  her  head,  and  every, 
article  of  her  garments  was  chosen  to  express  unob- 
trusive distinction.  For  many  months  her  astute  intel- 
ligence had  been  turned  upon  the  enhancing  of  her  at- 
tractions, with  wonderful  result. 

"Miss  Bush — the  Duke  of  Mordryn,"  Mr.  Strobridge 
was  obliged  to  murmur,  and  Katherine  bowed  and 
waited  to  see  if  the  Duke  would  speak.  He  did,  with 
that  aloof  but  gracious  courtesy  which  he  showed  to  all 
women. 

"You  have  come  to  hear  our  highly  futile  debate  in 
this  mutilated  chamber — I  hope  you  were  not  too 
bored." 

"I  was  very  much  interested,"  and  she  looked 
straight  into  his  eyes  in  the  way  she  did  when  she  in- 
tended to  compel  attention. 

As  Gerard  Strobridge  watched  her,  he  suddenly  felt 
a  twinge  of  fear.  He  refused  to  acknowledge  the 
thouglit  which  presented  itself,  but  indicated  that  they 
should  go  on. 

The  Duke  meanwhile  had  not  been  unaffected  by 
ICatherine's  magnetic  eyes — he  felt  a  spark  of  interest 
and  so  continued  tlie  conversation  for  a  minute,  but 
finally  had  to  give  way  to  Gerard's  evident  desire  to 
move  forward. 

"Tell  Her  Ladyship  that  I  am  coming  to  lunch  to- 
morrow. I  only  crossed  last  night,  and  have  had  no 
time  to  answer  her  note  awaiting  me.  I  hope  she  is 
well  and  has  not  allowed  this  modem  rush  and  turmoil 
to  spoil  her  enchanting  wit." 

When  they  got  out  into  the  open  air,  Katherine  no- 
ticed that  Mr.  Strobridge  had  a  fierce  and  rather 
hunted  expression  on  his  face.     He  got  into  the  taxi 

252 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

after  the  two  ladies  without  a  word,  and  said  very  little 
as  thej  drove  to  Miss  d'Estaire's  tiny  flat  in  Knights- 
bridge. 

"Perhaps  as  it  is  so  fine  you  will  let  me  dismiss  the 
cab  and  we  might  walk  across  the  Park,"  he  suggested 
as  he  rejoined  Katherine  after  seeing  Miss  Arabella  in 
at  the  door.     And  she  consented. 

The  air  was  crisp  and  fresh  and  the  dusk  was  gath- 
ering.   It  was  a  quarter  to  six  o'clock. 

They  turned  towards  Stanhope  Gate  and  walked  in 
silence.  Then  Mr.  Strobridge  stopped  suddenly  and 
drew  Katherine  to  a  chair. 

"Katherine,"  he  said,  and  his  voice  was  husky.  "Is 
it  so.?" 

"Is  what  so.?"  she  questioned,  to  be  quite  certain 
what  he  meant. 

"Is  the  Duke  to  be  your  objective.?" 

She  did  not  answer.  She  was  weighing  things.  Ger- 
ard's assistance  would  be  necessary  for  the  pursuance 
of  a  plan  which  had  been  forming  in  her  head  since  she 
had  left  the  Houses  of  Parliament.  She  was  swift  to 
decide,  and  swift  to  act  at  critical  moments  in  her  life. 

"Do  you  think  you  have  any  right  to  ask  me  such 
a  question.?" 

"Yes." 

"What  right.?" 

**I  love  you." 

She  shrugged  her  shoulders. 

"No,  I  will  never  admit  it." 

*'It  is  true  enough — Oh !  Katherine,  there  is  nothing 
I  would  not  do  for  you  and  you  know  it.  only  I  cannot 
help  wanting  to  be  certain  if  I  am  to  expect  the  worst. 
I  feared  it  at  once  when  you  looked  into  his  eyes.  Has 
my  doom  come  at  last  then.?" 

253 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

"You  arc  paying  me  a  great  compliment ;  you  seem 
to  think  that  the  matter  lies  only  in  my  hands." 

"You  will  accomplish  anj'thing  you  desire." 

She  did  not  speak. 

"Katherine,"  he  pleaded,  and  there  was  anguish  in 
his  voice,  "tell  me  the  truth,  whether  I  have  the  right 
to  ask  it  or  no.  The  idea  has  come  to  you  that  this 
would  be  worth  winning,  this  position — has  it  not?" 

"Yes." 

"He  is  fifty-three  years  old,  Mordryn — but  a  fifty- 
three  which  women  adore — You  would  probably  fall  in 
love  with  him  also." 

"It  is  possible." 

"Can  you  expect  me  to  be  anything  but  pained 
then.?" 

"I  have  always  told  you  that  I  consider  you  only 
as  a  friend,  and  that  I  only  view  your  emotions  for  me 
as  those  of  friendship ;  therefore  there  should  be  no 
pain  even  in  such  an  idea  according  to  my  view." 

"There  is." 

"I  am  sorry." 

"But  it  does  not  change  your  determination?" 

"No." 

"I  understand  a  man's  killing  a  woman  sometimes," 
and  he  clenched  his  hands  passionately. 

"So  do  I — when  she  deceives  him,  never  because  she 
is  honest  and  unvarying.  I  have  never  deceived  you  or 
led  you  to  hope  for  anything  but  friendship — that  you 
have  in  full,  and  you  have  hundreds  of  times  promised 
me  yours ;  if  you  meant  it  I  now  ask  you  to  give  me  a 
proof  of  it." 

"What  proof?" 

"I  wish  to  meet  the  Duke — not  as  Lady  Garribar- 
dinc's  secretary;  that  would  prejudice  him  too  much, 

251 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATIIERINE  BUSH 

naturally !  I  want  to  meet  him  in  the  evening  at  dinner 
as  a  guest.  I  want  to  talk  to  him  and  see  for  myself 
what  he  is  like,  and  if  he  is  as  wonderful  as  he  looks. 
Only  you  could  arrange  this.  If  you  asked  him  to  din- 
ner and  asked  me  and  Miss  Arabella  or  Miss  Gwendoline 
d'Estaire  it  would  be  possible,  would  it  not.'"' 

He  was  staring  at  her  now,  overcome  by  her  mas- 
terly frankness.  No — she  would  never  deceive  him,  he 
realised  that  and  also  that  nothing  of  his  will  could 
ever  impose  upon  hers.  He  knew  he  was  impotent  as 
a  factor  in  the  determining  of  her  plans ;  all  he  could 
do  to  keep  her  favour  was  to  fall  in  with  them. 

Her  face,  white  as  a  lily  in  the  growing  dusk,  was 
calm  and  cold  and  beautiful.  He  had  never  desired 
her  more — but  that  fastidiousness  in  him,  that  power 
of  detachment  which  could  appreciate  skill  even  when 
exercised  against  his  own  interests,  asserted  itself,  and 
helped  him.  She  was  so  wonderful  a  character,  he  must 
assist  her  even  to  his  own  pain. 

"I  suppose  it  would  be  possible — Beatrice  goes  down 
to  Allerton  to-morrow  until  after  Easter.  I  expect  I 
could  arrange  it  for  Friday  night  if  I  can  only  get  the 
Duke — he  will  be  awfully  busy  these  days — but  perhaps 
if  I  ask  him  at  once  I  might  catch  him — "  Then  he 
thought  a  moment — "Yes — I've  got  a  new  case  of  min- 
iatures I  bought  last  week  at  an  odd  sale.  I  could  be- 
guile him  on  the  pretext  of  giving  me  his  opinion  as 
to  whether  or  no  two  of  them  are  really  Cosways.  You 
see  to  what  a  state  of  abject  slavery  you  have  reduced 
me." 

"No,  I  have  not — you  are  being  merely  a  loyal 
friend." 

"To-night  at  dinner  I  will  ask  my  aunt  if  you  may 
dine — I  have  some  boring  country  friends   coming  in 

255 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

any  case  that  night  and  she  will  let  me  have  you  to 
help  to  entertain  them,  I  expect.  You  are  supposed  to 
be  extraordinarily  talented  as  an  entertainer  of  bores !" 

He  could  not  keep  some  of  the  bitterness  he  was  feel- 
ing out  of  his  voice.  Katherine  looked  at  him  reproach- 
fully. 

"I  thought  you  would  perhaps  have  understood — and 
been  kind." 

He  responded  at  once  to  her  tone. 

"Darling — I  will — you  know  it.  I  will  show  you  that 
I  am  indeed  your  devoted  friend;  will  that  please  you?" 

She  inwardly  appreciated  his  sacrifice  and  her  eyes 
shone  softly  upon  him. 

Plis  face  was  haggard  and  looked  hungry — its  ex- 
pression would  have  surprised  the  many  women  who 
had  loved  him,  and  on  whom  he  had  turned  a  transient 
smile. 

"Yes,  that  will  please  me,"  and  her  voice  was  sweet. 
"Now  tell  me  about  him.  I  remember  to  have  read  in 
the  papers  some  time  ago  that  the  Duchess  had  died." 

"He  has  had  an  awful  life — the  Duchess  was  mad. 
She  was  a  Thorval,  a  cousin  of  my  wife's,  and  went 
more  or  less  off  her  head  soon  after  they  were  married 
about  twenty-eight  years  ago.  Then  for  more  than 
fifteen  years  she  was  extremely  peculiar,  but  not  quite 
bad  enough  to  be  entirely  shut  up.  Only  of  course  it 
made  it  impossible  for  him  to  have  friends  or  to  enter- 
tain and  enjoy  his  great  position.  Then  she  became 
quite  mad  and  had  to  be  isolated  and  by  this  time 
Adeliza,  the  only  child,  began  to  show  signs  of  derange- 
ment, too,  and  so  he  had  the  horror  of  seeing  the  same 
thing  occurring  over  again.  About  two  years  ago  the 
Duchess  died  and  fortunately  soon  after  Adeliza  caught 
scarlet  fever  and  died  also,  just  before  you  came  to 

256 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATIIERINE  BUSH 

my  aunt's — and  then  Mordrjn  started  on  a  long  voy- 
age round  the  world  to  try  and  make  a  break  and  for- 
get— and  he  has  been  abroad  ever  since,  and  only  re- 
turned last  night." 

"Poor  man,  then  he  did  not  obtain  much  pleasure 
from  his  great  position?" 

*'Not  in  England — but  one  must  suppose  that  he  has 
had  some  kind  of  consolations  in  all  these  years.  He 
was  often  in  Paris  and  has  always  been  extremely  at- 
tractive, but  he  is  a  great  gentleman,  and  there  have 
never  been  any  scandals  about  him." 

"And  now  all  those  ugly  shadows  have  been  removed 
from  his  life  and  he  is  free — "  Katherine  drew  in  her 
breath  a  little. 

"Yes,  he  is  free,"  Gerard  concurred  gloomily.  "He 
is  a  most  intimate  friend  of  my  aunt's ;  you  will  see  him 
constantly  at  Blissington." 

"Where  I  am  the  secretary — yes.  Ah !  if  you  knew 
how  I  long  sometimes  to  be — myself — and  not  to  have 
to  act  meekness — Ah !  you  would  know  then  how  grate- 
ful I  shall  be  if  you  can  give  me  this  one  evening  of 
happiness." 

He  was  touched,  she  so  seldom  showed  any  emotion. 
He  felt  rewarded  for  some  of  his  sufferings. 

"You  shall  have  as  perfect  a  time  as  I  can  secure 
for  you,  Katherine,  dear  girl — "  and  he  bent  forward 
and  took  her  hand.  "You  would  adorn  any  position  in 
the  world — but  if  Mordryn  were  not  a  most  splendid 
character  I  would  not  help  you  to  meet  him — He  is — 
One  of  the  finest  in  the  world — and  I  will  try — I  prom- 
ise you  I  will  try  not  to  let  any  jealous  envy  stand 
in  your  way." 

"You  are  a  dear  after  all,"  and  she  returned  the  pres- 
sure of  his  fingers  before  she  drew  hers  away. 

257 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

There  was  a  strange  light  in  her  eyes  as  she  walked 
up  the  stairs  to  her  room  in  Berkeley  Square.  A  won- 
derful vista  had  suddenly  opened  itself  before  her,  with 
a  mountain  in  the  distance  all  of  shining  gold.  It 
seemed  that  it  must  always  have  been  there  but  that 
some  mist  had  hidden  it  which  was  now  rolled  away. 

'^^^lat  if  she  should  be  able  to  reach  this  splendid 
gilded  mountain  top — some  day? 

A  glorious  end  to  aim  at  in  any  case,  and  she  shut 
her  wliite  teeth  firmly — and  sitting  down  by  her  open 
window  began  steadily  to  think. 

That  night  fate  held  a  surprise  in  store  for  her.  She 
was  going  to  the  theatre  with  Matilda,  a  periodical 
treat  which  that  sister  greatly  enjoyed.  They  went  in 
the  dress  circle  and  saw  the  show,  two  unobserved  units 
in  the  crowd.  As  it  was  for  Matilda's  pleasure  she  was 
left  to  choose  what  she  would  see.  It  was  always  either 
a  Lyceum  melodrama  or  a  musical  comedy,  and  this 
night  it  chanced  to  be  the  latter,  and  one  newly  put  on, 
so  tlie  audience  was  less  remarkably  homely  than 
usual. 

Who  and  v/hat  were  the  audiences  at  theatres?  This 
Katherine  often  asked  herself.  And  while  Matilda  en- 
joyed what  was  happening  on  the  stage,  she  studied 
the  types  around  her. 

Who  invented  such  hairdressing?  Who  designed 
such  clothes?  Whence  came  they  and  whither  did  they 
go? 

This  particular  night  Katherine  and  Matilda  were 
rather  at  the  side  of  the  dress  circle  a  row  or  two  back, 
so  that  they  could  see  a  good  deal  of  the  stalls ;  and 
towards  tlie  end  of  the  first  act  Katherine's  languid  at- 
tention suddenly  became  riveted  upon  two  particularly 
well  brushed  male  heads  in  the  front  row.     Their  owners 

258 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

must  have  come  in  while  she  had  been  looking  at  the 
stage.  There  was  something  quite  uniquely  spruce 
about  young  Englishmen's  heads,  she  knew,  and  they 
were  all  very  much  alike  of  a  certain  class,  but  the 
fairer  of  these  two  was  painfully  familiar;  it  belonged 
to  Lord  Algy  and  to  no  one  else.  Pie  had  returned 
from  Egypt  then!  He  was  there  within  a  few  yards 
of  her.     Oh !  why  was  it  such  pain  to  see  him  again  ? 

Her  heart  beat  to  suffocation,  she  felt  every  pulse 
in  her  body  tingle  with  excitement,  and  then  she  felt  a 
little  sick — and  for  a  few  minutes  she  could  not  have 
risen  from  her  seat. 

Matilda  turned  for  a  moment  and  exclaimed: 

"Oh,  my  goodness  gracious  !  Kitten !  Whatever  is 
the  matter,  dear.?" 

Then  Katherine  recollected  herself  and  answered  a 
little  shakily : 

"I  don't  know — the  heat  I  suppose — I  am  all  right 
now  though,  and  isn't  this  a  funny  scene !  Don't  let 
us  talk  and  spoil  it." 

And  Matilda,  reassured,  gladly  again  turned  to  the 
stage.  So  Katherine  sat  on,  fighting  her  battle  alone. 
She  forced  herself  to  look  at  her  whilom  lover  with 
calm — and  watch  every  movement  of  his  attractive 
head.  He  appeared  well  and  bronzed  and  handsomer 
than  ever,  she  could  see  as  he  turned  to  speak  to  his 
companion,  and  she  almost  fancied  she  could  hear  the 
tones  of  his  voice.  Then  she  made  herself  analyse 
things.     Did  she  really  love  him  still? 

Then  gradually  she  became  more  controlled  as  she 
realised  that  if  she  kept  her  eyes  fixed  upon  him  like 
this  the  magnetic  power  of  her  gaze  would  certainly 
cause  him  to  look  round  presently  and  see  her,  and 
that  above  everything  she  did  not  want  this  to  occur. 

259 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

So  she  turned  her  attention  to  the  stage  and  forced 
herself  to  listen  to  what  was  being  sung. 

The  act  was  soon  over,  and  then  she  saw  Lord  Algy's 
perfect  figure  rise  to  go  out.  That  was  "Jack  Kil- 
courcj"  she  thought,  probably,  with  him,  about  whom 
she  had  so  often  heard — and  perhaps  they  had  come 
to  see  some  special  beauty  in  the  chorus,  and  would  go 
on  to  supper  later  at  the  Savoy  or  elsewhere.  Oh, 
no ! — she  would  not  allow  herself  to  feel  any  more ;  she 
had  surely  passed  beyond  such  things ! 

The  second  act  came  and  went,  and  the  third,  and 
when  it  was  over  she  hurried  Matida  out,  in  a  desire 
to  escape  before  the  stall  crowd  could  mingle  with 
theirs  in  the  doorway. 

It  was  raining  a  little  when  they  came  to  the  door, 
and  there  stood  Lord  Algy  talking  with  his  caressing 
devoted  air  to  a  lovely  woman  in  black,  whom  Katherine 
had  noticed  in  one  of  the  boxes.  He  did  not  see  her, 
as,  clutching  Matilda's  arm,  she  shrank  away  among 
the  bedraggled  people  beyond  the  lights,  and  there  she 
paused  and  turned  for  a  last  look  at  him,  and  saw  him 
follow  the  lady  into  a  smart  car,  the  door  of  which  was 
being  held  open  by  a  motor  groom;  it  had  just  driven 

up- 

"We  will  have  a  taxi,  Tild,"  she  said.     "Let  us  walk 

on  and  find  one.     I  can't  stand  an  omnibus  to-night." 

She  drove  Matilda  to  Victoria  first,  and  then  went 
back  to  Berkeley  Square,  a  rather  damp  creature  in 
body  and  soul.  And  when  she  was  in  bed,  the  tears 
would  trickle  down  her  cheeks.  It  was  all  hateful! 
The  dress  circle — the  rain — the  cab — the  dependence 
— and  last  of  all  Lord  Algy  and  the  lovely  woman  in 
black ! 

Then   her   sense   of  the   value   if   things   came   back 
260 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

again;  her  indomitable  spirit  revived,  and  before  she 
fell  asleep  she  knew  that  once  for  all  she  had  banished 
any  lingering  regrets  and  that  she  would  play  for  the 
great  stakes  in  the  game  of  her  ambition  with  a  zest  as 
strong  as  the  desire  for  love — that  love  which  she  now 
realized  had  been  mainly  an  affair  of  the  senses  and 
which  was  over  and  dead. 


CHAPTER    XXIII 

THAT  night  after  dinner  when  the  guests  had  left 
the  house  in  Berkeley  Square,  Mr.  Strobridge 
asked  his  aunt  if  she  would  lend  him  Miss  Bush 
for  Friday  night  to  help  him  to  entertain  some  bores. 
Beatrice  would  be  away,  and  he  really  felt  he  could  not 
face  them  alone.  Gwendoline  or  Arabella  would  come, 
too.  Katherine  had  dined  at  the  Strobridges'  house  in 
Brook  Street  once  or  twice  before,  for  similar  reasons, 
and  the  request  therefore  did  not  seem  unusual.  But 
Gerard  knew  his  Seraphim  too  well  not  to  be  aware  that 
when  she  heard  that  IMordryn  had  dined  also  she  might 
suspect  some  plot,  and  would  then  very  possibly  be 
mildly  annoyed  with  him,  and  really  angry  with  Kath- 
erine. Every  scrap  of  his  diplomatic  gift  would  have 
to  be  employed  over  this.  He  was  going  to  be  at  the 
luncheon  next  day  which  the  Duke  had  announced  his 
intention  of  attending.  He  must  so  manage  the  con- 
versation that  miniatures  were  discussed,  and  then  in 
aunt's  hearing  Mordryn  could  be  asked  to  come  and 
inspect  tlum  as  a  mere  afterthought.  If  this  failed 
to  allay  all  suspicion  of  underlying  intention  in  the 
affair,  he  would  have  boldly  to  tell  his  aunt  the  truth, 
only  taking  the  whole  credit — or  blame  of  the  idea — 
upon  his  own  slioulders — No  reflection  must  fall  upon 
Katherine. 

Her  Ladyship  announced  casually  tliat,  yes,  he 
might  take  the  secretary  and  welcome  if  he  returned 
her  not  too  late  at  night;  slie  had  to  be  up  early  in 

262 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

the  morning  as  she  was  starting  on  a  hohday  of  a  few 
days'  duration.  The  dutiful  nephew  thanked  his  aunt, 
and  requested  her  to  let  Miss  Bush  know  that  she  would 
be  wanted  on  Friday  if  she  would  be  kind  enough  to 
come. 

But  Lady  Garribardine  was  preoccupied  with  a  sub- 
ject much  nearer  her  heart,  and  turned  to  it  at  once. 

"I  am  dying  to  see  Mordryn,  G.  I  wish  I  had  known 
he  was  going  to  speak  to-day  and  I  would  have  gone 
to  the  House;  he  felt  it  his  duty,  I  suppose — this 
wretched  Land  Bill!  How  did  he  look.''  And  did  you 
get  a  word  with  him.''  I  shall  see  him  to-morrow,  of 
course." 

Mr.  Strobridge  gave  the  message  that  he  had  been 
asked  to  give,  and  vouchsafed  the  information  that  the 
Duke  had  appeared  as  usual  and  was  altogether  charm- 
ing as  ever. 

"It  is  to  be  hoped  he  will  get  some  good  out  of  life 
now  that  he  is  free  at  last  from  those  mad  women.'* 

Her  Ladyship's  face  assumed  a  strange  expression. 
She  sat  down  in  her  usual  armchair  with  an  air  of 
fatigue. 

"Your  words  strike  home,  G. — for  you  know  I  made 
his  marriage — in  those  far  back  ignorant  days  when 
no  one  thought  of  heredity  or  such  things.  I  literally 
married  him  off  to  Laura  almost  against  his  will,  be- 
cause he  was  utterly  devoted  to  me  and  I  to  him,  and 
the  situation  was  becoming  impossible,  over  ten  years 
between  our  ages,  his  immense  position  and  mine — and 
Garribardine  jealous — There  was  nothing  else  for  it. 
Laura  was  a  sweet,  foolish  creature  then,  beautiful  and 
of  no  account.  I  felt  she  would  never  replace  me  in 
his  affection,  and  in  those  days,  nearly  thirty  years 
ago,  it  would  have  been  considered  almost  indecent  to 

263 


^HE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

talk  of  what  future  children  might  turn  out — They 
were  supposed  to  come  from  the  cabbage  beds  and  to 
have  nothing  to  do  with  their  parents !" 

"Of  course,  one  had  always  heard  he  was  devoted  to 
you,  Seraphim — He  is  still." 

"Dear  Mordryn ! — Laura  gave  him  trouble  on  the 
hone^onoon,  and  once  made  him  look  ridiculous — He 
never  pardoned  that.  By  the  time  she  was  shut  up,  I 
was  fifty,  G.,  and  had  mercifully  a  strong  sense  of 
humour,  so  Mordryn  and  I  had  no  lapses  and  have  re- 
mained firm  friends  as  you  know." 

"One  has  often  wondered  what  his  inner  life  could 
have  been  during  all  those  years  of  horror  at  home.  He 
was  a  model  of  circumspection  outwardly,  but  the 
adoration  of  women  must  have  affected  him  now  and 
then." 

"Not  greatly,  I  think — Naturally  he  has  had  some 
consolation,  but  when  one  thinks  of  it,  it  is  perfectly 
marvellous  that  no  woman  in  England  has  ever  been 
able  to  flatter  herself  that  she  possessed  an  influence 
over  him — and,  of  course,  in  these  last  years  he  has  not 
even  seen  any." 

"I  suppose  he  will  marry  again  now,  having  no  heir.''" 

There  was  a  very  interested  note  in  Mr.  Strobridge's 
voice. 

"He  must — And  he  must  find  a  sane  and  strong 
woman — tlie  family  is  on  the  verge  of  being  overbred. 
I  must  look  out  a  suitable  bunch  for  him  to  select 
from." 

"I  should  leave  it  to  fate  this  time.  Seraphim." 

"If  I  do  that  some  totally  unsuitable  creature  with  a 
clever  motlier  will  grab  him." 

Mr.  Strobridge  laughed. 

"Has  not  the  man  a  will  of  his  own?" 
264 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

"No  man  has  a  will  of  his  own  while  the  vanity  o£ 
his  sex  is  still  in  him.  He  is  as  defenceless  as  a  baby, 
and  at  the  mercy  of  any  cunning  female.  I  could  not 
bear  to  see  Mordryn  suffering  a  second  time,"  and 
Lady  Garribardine  sighed. 

After  luncheon  next  day,  when  the  rest  of  the  com- 
pany had  departed,  the  Duke  stayed  on  and  accom- 
panied his  friend  up  to  her  own  sitting-room  where  thej 
could  talk  undisturbed. 

They  understood  each  other  completely.  They  spoke 
for  a  long  time  of  his  travels  and  of  his  release  at  last 
from  bondage  and  strain,  and  of  how  he  was  going  to 
open  Valfreyne  once  more  and  see  the  world  of  his  fel- 
lows and  take  up  the  thread  of  his  life. 

"You  must  not  keep  a  grain  of  mawkish  sentiment, 
Mordryn,"  Her  Ladyship  said  at  last.  "You  must  ban- 
ish all  remembrance  of  Laura  and  Adeliza  and  begin 
life  afresh." 

"At  fifty-three? — It  Is  a  little  late,  I  fear,  for  the 
game  to  have  much  zest." 

"Tut !  tut !  You  have  never  found  the  youngest  and 
most  beautiful  woman  recalcitrant,  I'll  wager.  One 
had  heard  not  so  many  years  ago  that  a  certain  fine 
creature  in  Paris  almost  died  of  love  for  you !" 

The  Duke  smiled,  and  when  he  did  this  it  was  an 
illumination,  his  face  in  repose  was  so  stern. 

"Not  of  love — of  chagrin,  because  the  ruby  in  the 
bangle  she  received  was  reported  to  her — by  her 
masseuse — to  be  of  less  pure  pigeon's  blood  than  the 
duplicate — which  I  gave  to  the  Spaniard.  It  is  im- 
possible to  gauge  the  love  of  a  mistress ;  it  is  equally 
kindled  by  rubies  and  the  charms  of  a  youthful  Apollo.'* 

"But  you  need  not  now  confine  your  attentions  to  ces 
265 


miE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

dames  any  longer,  Mordryn ;  there  are  numbers  of  our 
world  who  would  console  jou." 

Tlie  Duke  smiled  again. 

'''None  of  them  ever  mattered  to  me  very  much,  as 
you  know,  dear  friend,  from  the  days  when  my  whole 
soul  was  yours.  Since  then  women  have  been  rare  re- 
laxations, ephemeral  diversions  leaving  no  mark." 

*'We  are  going  to  change  all  that !" 

Then  their  talk  drifted  to  other  things,  and  before 
His  Grace  left  he  had  promised  to  spend  Easter  at 
Blissington. 

While  luncheon  had  yet  been  in  full  swing  and  a  pro- 
pitious moment  had  come,  Gerard  had  carried  out  his 
plan.  The  subject  of  miniatures  was  introduced,  and 
a  heated  argument  ensued  about  the  likelihood  of  the 
new  acquisitions  being  by  Cosway,  and  then  the  sug- 
gestion that  the  Duke  should  come  in  and  dine  the  next 
night  and  decide  the  matter  came  out  quite  naturally. 

Lady  Garribardine  made  no  remark  at  the  time,  and 
indeed  hardly  thought  about  it,  but  that  night  when 
she  sat  by  her  bedroom  fire,  she  suddenly  remembered 
that  her  secretary  would  meet  the  Duke,  and  for  a  long 
time  she  stared  into  the  glowing  embers  in  deep 
thought. 

No,  it  was  not  possible  that  the  girl  had  known  that 
he  would  speak ;  that  was  not  her  reason  for  wishing 
to  go  to  tiie  House  of  Lords ;  but  she  had  seen  him 
there,  and  now  she  would  meet  him  at  dinner! 

A  number  of  expressions  chased  themselves  over  Her 
Ladyship's  countenance,  while  her  eyes  never  left  the 
one  point  in  the  coals.  The  frown  of  cogitation  deep- 
ened on  her  forehead  and  then  cleared  away.  She  had 
come  to  a  decision. 


^m 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

When  Mordrjn  had  retired  with  his  hostess  after 
luncheon,  Gerard  Strobridge  had  sought  Miss  Bush  in 
the  secretary's  room. 

"The  deed  is  done,  Katherine,"  he  announced,  with 
an  attempt  at  gaiety  while  his  heart  was  heavy  within 
him.  "The  Duke  is  coming  to  dinner  on  Friday  night, 
and  GwendoHne  not  Arabella,  and  a  couple  of  bores 
from  the  country,  so  all  my  duties  and  sacrifices 
are  completed.  Now  are  you  going  to  give  me  a  re- 
ward?" 

"It  depends  upon  its  nature." 

"Yes,  I  know  that.  It  is  quite  a  reasonable  one.  It 
is  to  come  down  in  my  motor  with  me  this  afternoon 
and  see  the  spring  borders  at  Hampton  Court?" 

Katherine  hesitated.  She  would  love  to  go,  but  she 
had  work  to  do  before  to-morrow,  and  unless  she  sat 
up  late  at  night  it  could  not  be  accomplished. 

He  came  over  and  spoke  earnestly. 

"I  feel  that  this  will  be  the  last  time  that  we  can  be 
pupil  and  teacher,  Katherine.  Fate  is  going  to  change 
for  us  both.  I  want  to  keep  a  memory  of  you,  dearest, 
when  you  were  my  friend  alone,  without  the  shadow  of 
any  other  interest  between — Won't  you  try  to  give  me 
this  one  last  great  pleasure?" 

Katherine  was  touched. 

"Yes,  I  will,"  she  agreed.  "I  cannot  go  up  and  ask 
Her  Ladyship  now,  but  I  believe  she  would  let  me  go. 
I  have  no  business  with  her  until  to-morrow  morning. 
Do  you  want  me  to  come  at  once?" 

"Yes,  I  will  walk  on  round  to  the  garage  and  get  the 
motor,  and  you  can  meet  me  at  Stanhope  Gate." 

It  turned  out  to  be  an  afternoon  which  neither  of 
them  would  ever  forget,  and  Katherine  Bush  had  never 
been  so  near  to  emotion  for  her  friend  as  when  at  last 

^67 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

they  sat  down  upon  a  bench  and  looked  awaj  to  the 
broad  green  avenue  between  the  giant  trees. 

Gerard  Strobridge  had  exerted  every  power  he 
possessed  to  please  her.  He  had  enchanted  her  fancy, 
and  had  drawn  out  all  that  was  finest  in  herself.  They 
had  studied  the  flowers,  and  talked  of  their  favourite 
books ;  and  Katherine  was  conscious  that  she  herself 
was  being  brilliant,  and  that  now  his  flights  were  not 
beyond  her,  but  that  she  could  fully  hold  her  own. 

"If  I  had  been  unwed,  Katherine,  would  you  have 
married  me?"  he  asked  her  at  last.  "Divine  as  to-day 
has  been,  think  what  it  would  have  meant  with  love  be- 
tween us — and  further  joys  to  come.  Katherine,  I 
would  have  done  my  utmost  to  make  you  happy.  WiU 
you  answer  me  this  question?  I  think  it  may  be  the 
last  one  I  shall  ever  ask  you." 

She  let  her  hands  fall  into  her  lap  and  she  looked  at 
him  critically  for  a  while  before  she  spoke.  And  her 
voice  was  reflective  when  she  did  reply. 

"I  think  if  you  had  been  free  at  that  first  Christmas, 
yes — I  would  have  married  you,  I  would  have  let  you 
take  me  away  and  teach  me  all  that  I  now  know — And 
then  I  would  have  made  you  use  all  your  gifts  and  rise, 
rise  to  the  top  of  your  tree.  I  would  never  have  rested 
until  you  had  reached  the  summit,  and  I  with  you." 

He  gave  a  little  groan  and  covered  his  face  with  his 
hands. 

"I  forged  all  the  barriers  to  joy  by  weakness  long 
ago,  Katherine.  I  drifted  idly  down  life's  stream,  and 
now  am  caught  in  the  rushes  and  cannot  get  free.  The 
tliought  is  bitter  sweet,  dear  love — this  picture  of  what 
might  have  been.  And  I  would  have  tauglit  you  to  love 
me  at  last.  Ah !  God  !  the  pain  !  But  now  I  do  not  want 
to  finish  this  day  with  sorrowful  repinings.    I  will  keep 

268 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

this  memory  of  your  words  and  go  my  way,  and  when 
jou  come  into  your  kingdom  remember  me,  and  let  us 
renew  our  friendship  on  calmer  shores." 

He  took  her  hand,  and  pulling  her  glove  off  back- 
wards kissed  each  white  finger,  and  then  his  eyes  grew 
misty  and  he  said  farewell.  And  in  Katherine's  heart 
there  was  a  strange  sadness,  and  they  hardly  spoke  at 
all  as  they  sped  homewards. 


CHAPTER    XXrV 

WHEN  Friday  night  came  and  Katharine  was 
ready  to  get  into  the  taxi  with  Miss  Gwen- 
doline d'Estaire,  she  felt  exalted  as  she  had 
never  done  in  her  life. 

This  evening  would  be  the  test  of  her  powers — If  she 
failed,  then  she  would  know  that  such  high  goals  were 
not  for  her,  and  so  she  must  curtail  her  aspirations. 
But  she  would  not  fail.  It  might  be  that  the  Duke 
would  not  be  drawn  to  her — it  was  impossible  to  tell 
from  that  one  afternoon  what  his  temperament  could 
be — but  at  all  costs  she  must  not  fail  in  being  a  culti- 
vated lady,  a  guest  among  equals,  and  so  to  take  at 
least  that  place  in  his  regard. 

There  was  something  almost  diabolically  whimsical 
in  the  fact  that  one  passionate  would-be  lover  was  de- 
liberately arranging  that  his  lady  should  meet  a  possi- 
ble rival !  Gerard  Strobridgc  appreciated  this  point 
as  he  stood  before  the  cheerful  wood  fire  in  the  morn- 
ing-room in  Brook  Street,  awaiting  his  guests. 

The  bores,  of  course,  came  first,  and  then  Katherine 
and  old  IMiss  Gwendoline  d'Estaire,  and  last  of  all,  not 
more  than  five  minutes  late — His  Grace. 

He  was  quite  abnormally  distinguished  looking  in 
evening  dress,  which  when  dissected  did  not  prove  to 
be  remarkably  different  from  that  of  the  others,  but 
which  yet  possessed  some  subtle  quality  entirely  apart 
from  theirs,  in  its  bygone  suggestion.  His  manners 
were  most  courtly ;  he  recognised  Katherine  at  once  and 

270 


THE  CAFEER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 


shook  hands  with  her.    And  then  dinner  was  announced 

Gerard  sent  the  lady  bore  in  with  the  Duke — himself 
taking  old  Gwendoline,  and  leaving  Katherine  to  the 
husband,  so  that  Katherine  sat  next  His  Grace  at  a 
little  round  table. 

She  was  looking  quite  beautiful  in  a  new  black  frock, 
as  simple  as  the  old  one,  and  with  some  of  her  favourite 
lilies  of  the  valley  tucked  into  the  belt.  Mordryn  felt 
constrained  to  talk  to  his  partner  until  after  the  fish — 
the  host,  by  a  tactful  interruption,  drew  away  her  at- 
tention and  left  him  free,  and  then  without  hesitation 
he  turned  to  Katherine. 

Her  heart  was  beating  fast,  and  the  excitement  made 
her  eyes  dark  and  her  cheeks  pale,  but  she  did  not  lose 
her  head,  and  indeed  felt  an  extra  stimulant  to  her 
brain  power. 

He  began  about  the  debate  on  Wednesday.  The 
whole  thing  was  rather  a  mockery  since  they  were 
robbed  of  all  power  now  in  the  House  of  Lords,  and 
could  only  make  mild  protests,  but  not  enforce  their 
opinions.     Was  Miss  Bush  interested  in  politics.'' 

Katherine  said  that  she  was,  but  thought  it  rather 
a  degrading  profession  now,  with  paid  members  making 
their  living  out  of  their  seats.  And  so  they  spoke  for 
a  little  upon  this  theme,  and  the  Duke  found  himself 
agreeably  entertained.  He  liked  her  deep  voice,  and 
above  all  her  extraordinarily  good  hands. 

"Bush.'"'  he  said  to  himself.  "I  do  not  remember  to 
have  heard  the  name  before — the  mother  perhaps  had 
the  breeding.  Those  hands  do  not  come  from  the  shrub- 
bery or  the  common !" 

Now  Katherine  began  to  talk  of  travels.  She  knew 
that  all  people  enjoyed  discussing  theirs  on  their  re- 
turn. 

271 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

She  would  much  like  to  visit  the  East.  She  had  al- 
waj's  been  thrilled  with  Kinglake's  description  of 
Damascus  in  "Eothen."  Was  it  really  a  city  "of  hid- 
den palaces,  of  copses  and  gardens,  and  fountains  and 
bubbling  streams"?  His  Grace's  eyes  expressed  real 
interest  now,  not  so  much  that  they  should  discuss 
Damascus,  but  that  a  modern  girl  should  have  read 
Kinglake  and  deeply  enough  to  quote  him  correctly! 
He  also  knew  his  Kinglake,  and  had  that  potent  gift 
of  memory  which  never  stumbles  in  its  manifestations. 

He  continued  the  subject  with  enthusiasm  and  found 
that  this  charming  young  woman  was  familiar  with  all 
the  subtlest  shades.  They  had  touched  upon  passages 
of  peculiar  beauty  concerning  the  Dead  Sea,  and  the 
girls  of  Bethlehem  and  the  wonderful  desert  sun,  and 
were  in  the  middle  of  those  dedicated  to  the  Sphinx, 
when  the  Duke  became  aware  that  a  sweet  was  being 
handed  and  that  dinner  was  more  than  half  over!  With 
infinite  discretion  the  host  had  never  allowed  the  flow 
of  conversation  to  flag,  so  that  no  pause  among  so 
small  a  company  should  bring  this  promising  tete-a- 
tete  to  a  close.  Katherine  should  have  a  fair  field  if 
he  could  procure  it  for  her. 

But  His  Grace's  good  manners  reproached  him  for 
his  negligence  to  the  lady  he  had  taken  in,  and  he 
turned  from  the  contemplation  of  Katherine's  regular 
profile  with  reluctant  dutifulness,  inwardly  determining 
to  continue  Kinglake  and  other  things  when  they  should 
all  be  safely  in  the  drawing-room.  These  people  would 
surely  play  bridge.  What  a  capital  thing  cards  were 
if  one  had  strength  of  mind  enough  to  enforce  one's 
own  selfishness  in  not  plaj-ing  them! 

Katherine  now  used  her  best  endeavours  to  be  agree- 
able to  the  bore  husband,  and  spoke  of  subjects  which 

272 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

were  in  his  ken.  And  Gerard,  watching  her,  admired 
the  progress  of  his  pupil.  No  one  of  his  world,  or  any 
world,  could  have  been  a  more  polished  or  enchanting 
guest.  And  his  pride  in  her  numbed  the  pain  he  had 
felt  all  the  day. 

Then  the  conversation  became  general,  and  gave 
fresh  opportunity  for  Katherine  to  show  her  powers 
of  repartee. 

Yes,  the  quarette  played  bridge,  and  began  it  almost 
immediately  the  men  joined  the  ladies  upstairs.  Mr. 
Strobridge  had  carefully  not  allowed  the  talk  to  stray 
to  any  personal  subject  while  they  were  alone  in  the 
dining-room,  in  case  the  Duke  should  question  him 
about  Katherine.  If  so,  he  would  have  been  forced  to 
say  who  she  was,  and  that  would  spoil  her  plans  per- 
haps. How  she  meant  to  get  out  of  the  dilemma  after- 
wards he  did  not  speculate.  All  pretence  was  so  for- 
eign to  her  nature.  But  that  was  her  affair;  his  only 
concern  was  that  this  evening  should  be  without  flaw. 

The  Duke  found  a  place  on  the  sofa  beside  Katherine 
as  soon  as  the  rest  began  their  rubber,  and  here  he 
could  look  at  her  undisturbed  and  without  craning  his 
neck. 

He  admired  her  extremely.  She  was  the  exact  type 
which  pleased  him,  distinguished  and  well-bred  looking. 
He  liked  the  way  she  spoke,  with  no  distressingly  mod- 
ern slang  in  her  phrases.  She  must  evidently  have  been 
most  carefully  brought  up  in  a  really  refined  home! 
Could  she  be  a  relation  of  the  d'Estaires .''  But  to  ask 
questions  of  this  sort  was  not  his  method,  and  he  turned 
the  conversation  back  to  "Eothen"  again  and  kindred 
things. 

Katherine  was  in  the  seventh  heaven ;  she  was  bloom- 
ing   like    a    glowing    hot-house    plant    and    seemed    to 

273 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

radiate  sweetness  and  serenity.  Every  now  and  then 
she  let  her  eyes  meet  his  dark-blue  ones,  with  that 
strange  magnetic  look  in  hers  which  she  knew  would 
compel  his  interest. 

They  spoke  of  music  and  poetry,  and  then  of  pic- 
tures— pictures  in  general — and  lastly  those  of  Bliss- 
ington. 

"Did  she  know  Biisslngton  well? 

Yes,  she  knew  it  very  well,  and  that  enigmatic  smile 
hovered  for  a  moment  round  her  lips.  Mordryn  was 
surprised  at  it. 

"It  contains  some  recollections  for  you  which  are 
humorous,  then?" 

"Yes — very  humorous." 

"Won't  you  tell  me  what  they  are?"  His  most  at- 
tractive clear-cut  face  came  a  little  nearer  to  her  in  his 
interest. 

"Some  day  you  will  know." 

"How  fraught  with  meaning!  'Some  day  I  shall 
know!'    Not  to-night,  then?" 

"No,  for  to-night  we  are  guests  at  a  dinner-party 
and  are  talking  about  literature  and  music  and  art." 

"But  I  want  to  talk  about  you — May  I  not?" 

"I  do  not  see  why  you  should.  I  am  just  a  person 
whom  you  will  never  really  see  again — I  mean,  never 
really  talk  to  again — so  why  waste  time  in  unprofitable 
investigations?" 

"How  do  you  know  that  they  would  be  unprofitable?" 

Katherinc  looked  down  at  her  own  white  hands  folded 
quietly  in  her  lap,  then  up  again  and  straight  into  his 
eyes. 

"This  night  week  if  you  chance  to  think  of  this  eve- 
ning, you  will  realise  how  right  I  am  as  to  their  com- 
plete unprofitableness !" 

274 


mw^^ 


'You  are   ready   for  the  great  adventure?' " 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

"You  speak  in  riddles." 

She  shrugged  her  shoulders  slightly  and  smiled. 

His  Grace  found  himself  distinctly  curious. 

"Why  should  you  be  so  sure  that  I  shall  never  really 
see — or  was  it  speak  to — you  again?  Do  you  then  live 
on  some  desert  island  off  the  north  of  Scotland,  by 
chance?" 

"In  a  much  more  inaccessible  place  than  that."  Her 
eyes  sparkled  with  some  unfathomable  expression. 

"Iceland?" 

"There  is  an  ice  barrier  surrounding  it." 

"I  shall  have  to  give  it  up,  and  you  will  tell  me  your- 
self out  of  gratitude,  for  ceasing  to  tease  you." 

Katherine  leaned  back  on  the  soft  green  silk  cushions 
of  the  sofa.  She  was  looking  most  alluring  in  her  new 
role  of  honoured  guest.  It  was  so  delightful  to  be  per- 
fectly at  ease  and  able  to  lean  there,  and  not  sit  bolt 
upright  in  a  chair  in  an  attitude  of  respect.  The  Duke 
found  the  sight  of  her  extremely  soothing. 

"You  come  to  London  sometimes,  I  expect?" 

"Yes,  for  a  part  of  the  year." 

"Ah !  I  thought  so !  I  did  not  believe  that  Iceland 
produced  such  a  polished  creature.  You  know  you  are 
quite  unusual.  Miss  Bush.  You  have  consented,  with- 
out apparent  reluctance,  to  talk  upon  interesting  sub- 
jects to  a  wearied  and  middle-aged  man,  and  you  have 
not  spoken  of  golf  or  dancing — and  you  have  not 
smoked !" 

"I  do  smoke  sometimes,  but  only  when  I  am  doing 
some  tiresome  mechanical  work  like  typing." 

"Typing  ?-j-I  suppose  it  is  useful — but  what  can 
you  have  to  type?     Are  you  writing  a  book?" 

Katherine  gave  a  sudden  soft  laugh,  infinitely  pro- 
voking; it  made  the  blood  run  in  Gerard  Strobridge's 

275 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

veins,  and  he  viciously  played  a  knave  while  quivering 
with  a  sense  of  rebellion.  He  knew  what  it  meant  when 
she  laughed  like  that!  When  would  this  ghastly  eve- 
ning end? 

And  Katherine  half  whispered:  "No,  not  writing 
one,  but  trying  to  learn  out  of  that  greatest  volume  of 
all  time— the  book  of  life !" 

"What  can  you  know  of  life?"  The  Duke  asked  the 
question  as  Gerard  Strobridge  had  asked  it  long  ago. 
"Protected  and  pampered  and  kept  from  all  but  its 
pleasant  sides — what  can  girls  of  our  class  know  of 
life?" 

"Tell  me,  then,  what  it  is — since  I  could  not  be  sup- 
posed to  know?"  and  her  mouth  still  looked  mischievous 
as  well  as  her  eyes. 

The  Duke  thrilled  a  little. 

*'Life  is  either  a  muddle  through,  or  an  achievement. 
And  it  contains  good  things  and  bad  things,  and  pas- 
sions— and  it  is  forever  trying  to  express  itself,  and 
proclaim  its  meaning  quite  regardless  of  laws. 

"  'Tis  not  to  stalk  about  and  draw  fresh  air. 
From  time  to  time,  or  gaze  upon  the  Sun." 

"Oh!  it  is  a  splendid  thing!"  Katherine  cried,  and 
her  voice  vibrated.  "And  unlike  the  Spanish  Student, 
I  shall  not  'grow  weary  of  the  bewildering  masquerade,' 
*where  strangers  walk  as  friends  and  friends  as  stran- 
gers.' And  even  if  they  did,  the  unexpectedness  of  it 
would  be  delightful  I" 

Mordryn  looked  at  her.  At  the  fresh,  young  firm, 
smooth  cliecks,  the  living  red,  voluptuous  mouth,  the 
ashcn-hued  hair,  every  strand  of  which  seemed  to  be 
specially  alive  and  to  hold  its  own  silvery  glitter.    And 

276 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

then  at  her  strange,  compelling  eyes,  and  he  sighed  a 
little.     She  seemed  such  an  embodiment  of  vital  things. 

"You  are  ready  for  the  great  adventure?" 

"Quite,  and  I  mean  to  know  everything  before  I  grow 
old  and  indifferent." 

He  sighed  again. 

"Age  does  not  always  produce  indifference ;  it  would 
be  merciful  if  it  did." 

"There  can  be  no  need  really  to  grow  old.  Age 
comes  because  people  lose  their  grip  on  things." 

"Probably.  But  responsibilities  and  sorrows  and 
disappointments  age.  You  have  no  doubt  a  very  shel- 
tered life,  and  so  it  seems  to  you  that  all  is  easy." 

Katherine  laughed  again  softly.  It  was  so  delicious 
to  think  of  the  reality  in  contrast  to  his  supposition ! 

"My  life  is  indeed  sheltered — by  a  very  strong  shield, 
but  not  by  the  one  your  words  would  suggest." 

"No.?    What  then?" 

"It  is  not  at  all  interesting  to  talk  of  me;  I  have 
already  told  you  so — Why  do  you  persist?  I  would 
much  rather  hear  of  foreign  countries — Italy,  for  in- 
stance.    I  have  never  been  there." 

There  was  not  the  least  subjective  deference  in  her 
manner  to  him.  It  was  as  if  an  equal  were  talking  to 
one  of  her  own  brain  calibre  and  that  equal  a  woman, 
who  had  a  right  to  be  humoured.  Women — especially 
girls — were  not  wont  so  to  treat  him,  but  were  always 
more  or  less  impressed  by  his  great  position,  or  his 
aloofness,  or  his  satirical  but  courteous  wit.  He  had 
sometimes  an  expression  of  contemptuous,  amiable 
tolerance,  which  was  eighteenth  century  and  disconcert- 
ing. It  made  all  but  the  most  simple  or  most  highly 
cultivated  among  them  slightly  uneasy — Was  he  laugh- 
ing at  them?     They  were  never  quite  sure. 

277 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

He  found  himself  piqued  now,  and  in  no  mood  to  be 
balked,  so  he  contradicted  Katherine. 

"You  may  not  find  yourself  interesting  to  talk  about ; 
it  chances  that  I  do.  I  wish  to  know  what  it  is  that 
shields  you  so  effectively." 

"A  clear  idea  of  what  I  want,  I  expect,  and  a  strong 
enough  will  not  to  be  much  buffeted  about  by  any  wind 
of  opinion." 

"What  a  rara  avis!    And  you  look  so  young!" 

"I  am  twenty-three ;  that  is  fully  grown." 

"And  what  is  it  you  want.''" 

"To  be  free  to  soar — to  sec  the  world — to  feel  its 
throb — to  demonstrate  some  of  my  ideas." 

"On  what  subjects.?" 

"The  meanings  of  things — and  why  they  are — and 
the  common  sense  aspect  of  them.  Then  one  could  help 
humanity.  Lady  Garribardine  is  my  ideal  of  what  a 
woman  should  be.  There  is  nothing  small  about  her; 
she  is  as  big  as  a  great  man  and  far  more  sagacious." 

"There  I  am  with  you !"  and  his  voice  became  eager. 
"Her  Ladyship  has  always  been  the  perfection  of  things 
feminine,  in  my  opinion.      You  know  her  well.''" 

"Extremely  well.  She  is  not  afraid  of  her  views  and 
principles.  She  is  really  an  aristocrat.  She  believes 
in  herself,  so  everyone  believes  in  her,  too !" 

"Most  of  us  are  shaky  about  ourselves." 

"You  are  not — I  shall  turn  the  tables  now  and  say 
I  want  to  talk  about  you !  What  does  it  feel  like  to 
be  a  Duke? — A  real  Duke,  not  a  parvenu  or  one  who 
makes  a  laughing  stock  of  his  order." 

He  smiled ;  she  was  a  most  engaging  and  audacious 
young  person,  because  she  did  not  speak  with  childish 
artlessness,  but  with  deliberation. 

"It  feels  a  great  responsibility  sometimes,  and  a 
278 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

thing  of  very  little  consequence  at  others.  It  enforces 
perhaps  a  standard  of  behaviour  which  it  is  difficult 
always  to  follow.  If  the  circumstances  of  my  life  had 
been  different  when  I  was  younger,  I  should  have  en- 
deavoured not  to  let  our  order  slip  into  impotency ; 
now  the  whole  modern  political  outlook  disgusts  me 
so  that  I  seldom  speak  in  the  House." 

"That  is  very  wrong  of  you,  and  cowardly."  She 
was  quite  fearless.  "You  should  never  give  up  a  fight 
or  remain  passive  when  what  really  belongs  to  you  is 
being  filched  from  you.  If  you  do,  as  a  band,  you  de- 
serve to  be  put  aside.  You  should  fight  with  the  same 
fierceness  with  which  those  Radicals  do  who  know  they 
are  shams,  but  are  indeed  in  earnest  to  obtain  their  own 
ends." 

"You  are  quite  right.  There  are  some  women  who 
stimulate  in  all  ways,  who  are,  as  it  were,  sent  into 
the  world  as  electric  dynamos.  They  get  the  best  out 
of  everyone ;  they  make  men  work  better  and  play  bet- 
ter— and  love  better." 

He  looked  at  her  now  with  his  fine  eyes  sparkhng, 
but  flirtation  was  far  beneath  his  feet.  To  his  m.is- 
tresses  he  was  a  master,  a  generous,  tolerant,  con- 
temptuous master ;  to  his  friends  like  Lady  Garribardine 
the  essence  of  courtly  consideration ;  to  the  general 
company  politely  aloof.  But  to  the  woman  who  could 
arouse  his  love,  what  might  he  not  be!  Katherine 
thought  this,  and  a  quiver  ran  through  her  of  a  kind 
she  had  never  experienced  before,  so  that  her  com- 
posure was  not  so  perfect  as  usual  when  she  answered: 

"If  one  really  knew  exactly  what  is  love!" 

"You  have  no  dim  guess  at  it,  then.''"  He  was  quite 
surprised  that  it  should  interest  him  to  know  what  her 
reply  would  be. 

279 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

"Yes,  I  have — more  than  that.  I  know  that  some 
phases  of  it  make  on  feel  mad,  agitated,  unbalanced, 
animal,  even  motherly  and  protective — but  what  it 
could  be  if  it  touched  the  soul,  I  cannot  fathom." 

The  Duke  did  not  speak  for  a  moment ;  he  was  filled 
with  wonder  and  a  growing  admiration,  admiration 
which  extended  even  beyond  the  very  real  appreciation 
of  her  beauty.  Her  mentality  was  so  far  above  the 
average,  her  directness  so  interesting.  There  was  not 
the  slightest  trace  of  pose  in  anything  she  said — ^And 
that  last  speech — what  possibilities  it  opened  up !  She 
knew  something  of  one  side  of  love  then,  evidently! 

"Do  you  realise  what  your  words  imply?" 

"Yes." 

"That  you  have  loved  someone — in  that  way — ; 
once .''" 

"Yes,  I  have — It  is  a  way  that  frightens  one,  and 
makes  one  more  than  ever  sure  that  there  must  be  some- 
thing else.  Do  you  know  that  there  is — you  who  have 
lived  your  life?" 

Her  face  was  pale  and  cool  as  moonbeams.  She 
seemed  to  be  talking  in  the  abstract,  for  all  the  personal 
question.  The  Duke  found  himself  quite  unaccountably 
moved,  and  was  just  about  to  answer  eagerly,  when 
at  that  moment  the  host  joined  them  from  the  other 
drawing-room ;  the  rubber  was  over,  and  he  felt  he  must 
do  his  duty  and  not  make  too  obvious  a  point  of  leaving 
the  pair  alone. 

"Come  and  see  the  miniatures,  IMordryn,"  he  said. 
"We  must  not  forget  that  it  was  their  lure  which 
brought  you  here  to-night." 

His  tone  Katherine  well  understood,  it  contained  for 
all  its  surface  graciousness  some  bitterness  underneath. 

There  was  general  movement  after  this,  and  no  more 
280 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATIIERINE  BUSH 

private  confidences  could  be  exchanged,  so  that  Miss 

d'Estaire  and  Katherine  left,  with  His  Grace's  answer 

to  the  latter's  question  still  unspoken. 

And  Gerard  Strobridge,  as  he  pressed  Katherine's 

hand  in  good-nights,  whispered : 

"Have  I  done  well — and  are  you  satisfied?" 
The  firm  clasp  of  her  cool  fingers  was  his  answer. 


CHAPTER    XXV 

LADY  GARRIBARDINE  was  unable  to  spare  her 
secretary  from  tlie  Easter  party,  so  it  had  been 
arranged  that  she  was  to  have  a  few  days  holi- 
day from  the  Saturday  following  the  dinner-party, 
but  she  must  catch  the  three  o'clock  train  from  Pad- 
dington  on  the  Thursday  before  Easter,  and  return 
then. 

Katherine  did  not  go  home  to  Bindon's  Green.  She 
went  off  alone  to  a  httle  place  by  the  sea  on  the  east 
coast,  and  there  she  set  herself  to  review  events,  and 
think  out  her  plans  while  she  lay  upon  the  sands  un- 
heeding the  east  wind. 

Gerard  Strobridge  had  served  her  loyally — the  inter- 
est which  she  had  meant  to  kindle  was  kindled.  The 
Duke  now  had  made  a  mental  picture  of  her,  unmarred 
by  possible  qualifications  which,  if  he  had  known  she 
was  his  friend's  humble  secretary  and  typist,  he  would 
have  been  bound  to  have  made.  Not  that  he  was  in  the 
least  a  snob,  but  that  he  would  have  naturally  consid- 
ered it  unbefitting  his  situation  to  go  about  looking 
for  interesting  companions  among  his  friend's  depend- 
ents. He  would  simply  not  have  observed  her  at  all 
when  he  came  to  Blissington,  any  more  than  she  her- 
self had  observed  either  of  the  footmen  at  Gerard  Stro- 
bridge's  dinner.  Not  that  she  despised  footmen  as 
footmen,  or  the  Duke  secretaries  as  secretaries ;  they 
were  worthy  and  necessary  servants ;  but  guests  did  not 
remark  them   except  in   their  professional   capacities, 

282 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHEBINE  BUSH 

people  who  were  there  to  serve  at  table  or  write  letters 
and  attend  to  business. 

Not  the  slightest  irritation  or  resentment  mingled 
with  these  reflections  of  Katherine's.  She  was  much 
too  wise  and  just,  and  never  under  the  influence  of  hurt 
vanity  or  dramatic  instinct,  so  this  point  of  view,  that 
she  knew  the  Duke  would  naturally  take,  seemed  to  her 
perfectly  right,  and  instead  of  resenting  it,  she  had 
used  her  brain  to  nullify  it,  knowing  full  well  that  if 
she  played  her  part  at  the  dinner  eff^ectually,  interest 
would  be  aroused  which  no  barrier  of  diff'erent  statuses 
could  entirely  obliterate  afterwards.  Now  on  this  last 
afternoon  at  Bayview,  she  must  think  out  what  she 
would  do  next,  for  the  Duke  would  be  arriving  at  Bliss- 
ington  by  a  train  from  the  west  which  got  in  a  few 
minutes  after  her  own  from  Paddington.  She  had 
known  before  the  dinner-party  that  he  was  coming  for 
Easter,  and  that  morning  had  received  a  command  from 
her  mistress  that  she  was  to  look  out  for  him,  and  tell 
him  he  was  to  take  the  small  coupe  and  not  get  into 
the  other  motor,  which  would  await  her  and  be  loaded 
up  with  fragile  hat-boxes  which  were  coming  by  Kath- 
erine's train.  There  would  be  the  luggage  car  for  his 
servant  and  his  trunks  as  well.  All  the  rest  of  the  guests 
were  arriving  by  motors  or  by  the  express  an  hour 
later. 

Thus  the  plunge  from  equal  to  humble  secretary 
would  have  to  be  made  at  once,  and  she  must  see  to  it 
that  it  was  done  with  tact  and  skill,  so  as  not  to  mar 
the  efl'ect  already  produced,  but  rather  enhance  it. 
There  was  onl}'  one  drop  in  her  cup.  She  did  not  feel 
altogether  happy  in  keeping  this  secret  from  her  be- 
loved mistress.  A  secret,  too,  which  concerned  her, 
perhaps,  most  valued  guest.     But  it  was  absolutely  im- 

283 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 


possible  that  she  could  frankly  avow  her  intentions  to 
Lady  Garribardine,  as  she  had  done  to  Gerard;  so 
much  she  would  keep  to  herself,  but  she  would  speak 
of  her  enjo^^ment  at  meeting  the  Duke,  if  Her  Ladj^ship 
did  not  herself  begin  the  subject,  and  she  had  not  reason 
to  believe  Mr.  Strobridge  had  told  his  aunt  of  the  en- 
counter. She  had  not  seen  Lady  Garribardine  since 
the  dinner,  having  left  for  her  holiday  very  early  on 
the  Saturday  morning.  All  the  way  down  in  the  train 
to  Blissington  she  was  conscious  of  suppressed  excite- 
ment. She  had  been  most  careful  about  her  appear- 
ance, and  looked  as  charming  and  yet  unobtrusive  as 
it  was  possible  to  look. 

She  waited,  when  once  arrived,  at  the  entrance  where 
the  subway  from  the  departure  platform  emerged — 
and  she  felt  a  quiver  when  she  saw  the  top  of  the  Duke's 
hat  and  then  his  face. 

How  attractive  he  looked !  And  how  unlike  other 
people !  Among  a  crowd  he  was  a  magnificent  per- 
sonalitj^  one  to  whom  porters  and  officials  and  stran- 
gers naturally  showed  deference.  Peers  could  look  like 
very  humble  and  sometimes  even  vulgar  people,  she 
knew,  but  no  man,  woman  or  child  could  mistake 
His  Grace  of  Mordryn  for  anything  but  a  great 
noble. 

When  he  caught  sight  of  Katherine  standing  just 
at  the  inside  of  the  stream  of  passengers,  his  whole 
stern  face  changed,  and  an  illuminating  smile  came  over 
it,  Avhilc  he  stretched  out  his  hand  cordially. 

"Miss  Bush!  Are  we  to  be  fellow  guests.'*  You  are 
coming  to  Blissington?     How  delightful!" 

Katherine  made  as  though  she  did  not  see  the  hand, 
and  with  deference  and  lowered  lids,  she  said : 

"Yes,  I  am  going  to  Blissington,  but  Your  Grace  is 
284 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

under  a  misapprehension  which  I  must  correct.  I  am 
Her  Ladyship's  typist  and  secretary,  and  I  am  here 
now  to  give  you  a  message,  that  you  are  to  take  her 
Ladyship's  own  small  coupe  and  not  the  motor  which 
is  waiting  for  the  bandboxes  and  me." 

But  with  all  her  dcmureness,  she  could  not  prevent 
an  irresistible  and  humorous  quiver  from  dimpling 
round  her  lips,  and  then  she  raised  her  steady  eyes  and 
looked  at  him  suddenly  as  she  bowed  and  moved  off 
quickly,  leaving  him  for  the  first  time  In  his  life  com- 
pletely nonplussed !  What  was  the  meaning  of  this* 
comedy?  He  felt  rather  angry.  What  business  had 
Gerard  Strobridge  to  trick  him  so.''  But  had  he  tricked 
him?  He  recollected  now  that  Miss  Bush  had  not  been 
mentioned  by  Gerard  at  all  one  way  or  another.  She 
was  simply  treated  as  any  other  guest,  and  had  come 
apparently  with  Gwendohne  d'Estaire.  That  she  was 
a  high-bred  lady  his  own  senses  had  told  him,  whether 
she  were  a  typist  or  no ! — Highly  bred  and  educated 
and  exceptionally  cultivated  and  refined.  She  must 
certainly  be  the  daughter  of  some  friend  of  Sarah's  who 
had  met  with  financial  misfortune,  poor  charming  girl! 
And  he  hurried  after  her — but  only  got  outside  the 
station  to  see  her  disappear  In  a  motor  already  piled 
up  inside  with  milliner's  boxes.  So,  baffled  and  still 
deeply  Interested,  he  entered  the  coupe  awaiting  him 
and  was  whirled  off.  Seraphim  would,  of  course,  tell 
him  all  about  It,  and  so  he  dismissed  the  matter  from 
his  mind ;  but  his  first  thought  when  he  got  into  the  hall 
was  to  wonder  if  Katherine  would  be  at  tea.  She  was 
not.  Tea  was  a  tete-a-tete  affair  in  his  old  friend's 
boudoir,  where  a  hundred  thousand  things  of  Interest 
had  to  be  discussed  between  them,  and  no  time  or  chance 
was  given  for  reference  to  obscure  secretaries. 

S85 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

After  tea  on  her  way  down  to  receive  the  guests, 
who  would  continue  to  arrive  in  relays  until  dressing 
time,  Lady  Garribardine  went  into  the  schoolroom  to 
see  Katherine. 

They  spoke  of  business,  and  Katherine  received 
orders,  and  took  down  notes,  and  then  she  said: 

"Your  Ladyship  will  be  amused  to  hear  that  I  met 
the  Duke  at  dinner  at  Mr.  Strobridge's.  He  did  not 
know  my  position,  and  I  am  afraid  at  the  time  I  did 
not  undeceive  him.  It  was  such  a  very  great  pleasure 
to  me  to  be  taken  for  a  lady  and  a  guest  just  for  once. 
Of  course,  I  told  him  at  the  station  my  real  position, 
and  he  appeared  much  surprised." 

Lady  Garribardine  walked  to  the  window  and  pre- 
tended to  be  looking  out  at  something.  She  wanted  to 
hide  all  the  expression  which  might  come  into  her  eyes. 
The  simple  words,  "It  was  such  a  very  great  pleasure 
to  be  taken  for  a  lady  and  a  guest  just  for  once,"  had 
deeply  touched  her.  She  seemed  to  realise  what  such  a 
spirit  as  Katherine's  must  feel,  always  in  a  subordinate 
position  of  no  particular  status — ^And  with  what 
dignity  she  carried  it  off! 

"Child,"  she  answered,  without  looking  round,  "no 
one  who  knows  you  would  ever  take  you  for  anything 
else — the  theory  of  blood  being  absolutely  necessary 
for  this,  you  have  proved  to  be  nonsense.  The  Duke 
is  one  of  my  oldest  friends  and  a  very  fine  gentleman. 
I  am  glad  you  had  a  chance  of  talking  freely  to  him." 

After  she  had  left  the  room,  Katherine  folded  and 
unfolded  a  bit  of  paper,  a  very  unusual  agitation  mov- 
ing her. 

"Oh!  I  wish  I  could  tell  her  outright,  my  dear 
lady !"  she  cried  to  herself.  "I  almost  believe  she  would 
sympathise  with  me,  but  if  I  see  that  she  would  not, 

286 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATIIERINE  BUSH 

and  that  it  would  hurt  and  anger  her,  I  will  give  up 
even  this,  my  ambition." 

Gerard  Strobridge  was  not  of  this  party;  he  had 
been  obliged  to  go  to  his  brother's,  so  Katherine  would 
have  no  collaborator  and  would  be  forced  to  act  alone. 

She  did  not  dine  downstairs,  but  v/as  required  in  the 
drawing-room  afterwards,  and  until  ten  o'clock  she 
stayed  alone  in  her  sitting-room,  wondering  what  the 
Duke  had  thought,  and  if  it  would  have  been  wiser  to 
have  stayed  for  a  minute  after  firing  her  bomb. 

Had  she  known  it,  nothing  to  chain  his  interest  could 
have  been  better  than  her  swift  disappearance,  for  he 
was  now  thinking  of  her,  and  at  the  first  opportunity 
between  the  soup  and  fish,  he  said  to  his  hostess : 

"Seraphim,  I  met  your  secretary,  it  seems,  the  other 
night  at  Gerard's — a  very  intelligent  girl.  I  had  no 
idea  at  the  time  that  she  was  in  any  dependent  position 
— and  was  greatly  surprised  when  she  addressed  me  at 
the  station  to-day  as  'Your  Grace' !  She  is  some  mis- 
fortunate  friend's  daughter,  I  suppose.  Anyone  I 
knew?" 

Lady  Garribardine's  eyes  beamed  with  a  momentary 
twinkle  which  she  suppressed — She  thought  of  the  auc- 
tioneer father  and  the  butcher  grandfather  and  then 
she  said  casually : 

"No — she  came  from  an  advertisement,  but  she  is  a 
splendid  creature,  with  more  sense  in  her  little  finger 
than  most  of  us  have  in  our  entire  bodies — What  do 
you  think  of  my  grey  locks,  Mordryn?" 

The  Duke  assured  her  he  found  them  bewitching; 
he  saw  that  she  did  not  mean  to  speak  of  her  secre- 
tary. 

"They  cause  you  to  look  ten  years  younger,  dear 
287 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

friend.  I  could  find  It  in  my  heart  to  make  love  to  you 
once  more — and  be  repulsed  with  unabated  violence,  I 
fear !" 

"Love  was  good  when  we  were  young,  Mordryn ;  ten 
or  twelve  years  do  not  matter  when  a  man  is  twenty- 
five  and  a  woman  thirty-five  to  thirty-eight — that  is, 
if  they  are  not  married.  The  discrepancy  in  age  only 
becomes  grotesque  later.  We  loved  and  laughed  and 
lived  then,  and  should  be  grateful — I  am — ^As  for  you, 
you  will  love  again — fifty-three  for  a  man  is  nothing. 
You  are  abominably  attractive,  you  know,  Mordryn, 
with  your  weary,  aloof  air — and  your  Dukedom — And 
now  that  you  are  altogether  free  from  anxieties,  you 
should  take  the  cup  of  joy  in  both  hands  and  quaff  it — 
Look  round  the  table.  Have  I  not  provided  some  sweet 
creatures  for  you?" 

"You  have  indeed — ^TV^hich  one  in  particular  have 
you  destined  for  the  cup-bearer?" 

"Any  one  of  the  three  on  that  side  towards  the  top. 
You  can't  have  brains  and  beauty.  Lily  Trevelyan 
has  beauty,  and  enough  tact  to  hide  her  absence  of 
brain.  Blanche  ]\Iontague  has  no  beauty  but  a  certain 
chic — and  I  am  told  wonderful  variety  of  talent.  She 
docs  not  satiate  her  admirers  with  sameness — While 
Julia  Scarrisbrooke  is  all  passion  so  well  assumed  as  to 
be  better  than  the  real  article,  and  always  handy.  These 
credentials  I  have  collected  from  a  cohort  of  past  ad- 
mirers and  they  can  be  vouched  for.  You  have  only 
to  choose.  Any  one  of  them  will  be  enchanted.  They 
are  only  waiting  to  spring  into  your  arms!" 

"I  believe  that  would  bore  me.  I  want  someone  who 
is  not  enchanted — someone  who  leaves  the  whole  initia- 
tive to  me." 

Her  Ladyship  cast  up  her  eyes.  "My  dear  Mordryn, 

288 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

your  unsophistication  pains  me !  Who  ever  heard  of  a 
Duke  of  fifty-three,  well  preserved,  good-looking,  un- 
married and  distinguished — known  to  be  generous  as 
a  lover  and  full  of  charm — being  allowed  to  take  the 
initiative  wilh  women — Fie!" 

The  Duke  laughed,  and  by  some  curious  turn  of 
fancy  he  seemed  to  see  the  white,  perfectly  composed 
face  of  the  stately,  slender  scretary,  who  had  treated 
him  as  naught  that  night  at  Gerard's,  and  then  looked 
almost  mockingly  respectful  when  she  called  him  "Your 
Grace!"  in  the  station.  Would  she  be  in  the  drawing- 
room  after  dinner? — Perhaps. 

Yes,  she  was,  over  by  the  piano  at  the  far  end;  but 
Lily  Trevelyan  and  Blanche  Montague  and  Julia  Scar- 
risbrooke  had  surrounded  him  before  he  could  get  half- 
way down  the  long  room,  and  escape  was  out  of  the 
question.  No  manoeuvring  enabled  him  to  break  free 
of  them.  So  he  had  to  sit  and  be  purred  at,  and  see 
with  the  tail  of  his  eye  a  graceful  creature  in  black 
talking  quietly  (and  intelligently  he  felt  sure)  to  some 
less  important  guest — and  then  playing  accompani- 
ments— and  then  slipping  away  through  a  door  at  that 
end,  presumably  to  bed. 

He  cursed  civilisation,  he  profoundly  cursed  beauti- 
ful ladies,  and  he  became  sarcastic  and  caused  Julia 
and  Lily  who  were  for  the  mom-ent  bosom  friends  to 
confide  to  each  other,  over  the  latter's  bedroom  fire, 
that  Mordryn  was  "too  darling  for  words"  but  spiteful 
as  Her  Ladyship's  black  cat, 

"I  do  hate  men  to  be  so  clever — don't  you,  Lil.'* 
One  never  knows  where  one  is,  with  them." 

"Oh!  but  Ju,  dearest,  he  isn't  deformed  or  deadly 
dull  or  diseased,  or  tipsy,  he  is  awfully  good  looking 
and   very    rich    and   a  Duke — Really   you   can't   have 

289 


THE  CAJREER  OF  KATHEBINE  BUSH 

everything.  I  thought  Blanche  Montague  was  shock- 
ingly open  in  her  desire  to  secure  him,  did  not  you?  I 
wonder  why  Sarah  asked  her  here  with  us !" 

Meanwhile  Katherine  Bush  did  not  permit  herself  to 
wonder  at  His  Grace's  possible  feelings  or  his  future 
actions  at  all.  She  had  seen  the  eager  look  in  his  dark 
blue  eyes  once  or  twice  across  the  room  and  being  a 
wise  woman  left  things  to  fate. 

*'I  wish  G.  were  here,"  the  hostess  said  to  herself  as 
she,  too,  stood  by  a  bedroom  fire — her  own.  "I  have 
no  one  to  exchange  unspoken  confidence  with.  He  would 
have  understood  and  appreciated  the  enchanting 
comedy  of  female  purpose,  male  instinct  to  flee,  and  one 
young  woman's  supreme  intelligence!" 

The  next  day  tlie  Duke,  who  knew  the  house  well, 
and  in  what  wing  ]\liss  Arnott  had  worked,  took  it  into 
his  head  to  walk  before  breakfast  in  the  rose  garden. 
Miss  Bush  saw  him  from  the  window  and  allowed  her- 
self to  bow  gravely  when  he  deliberately  looked  up; 
then  she  moved  away.  He  felt  a  distinct  sensation  of 
tantalization.  After  breakfast  everyone  would  play 
tennis.  He  played  an  extraordinarily  good  game  him- 
self, and  was  in  flannels  ready.  Katherine  thought  he 
had  a  very  fine  figure  and  looked  much  younger  in  those 
clothes.  She  wanted  to  ask  him  about  the  emerald  ring 
— she  wanted  to  ask  him  about  a  number  of  things. 
She  had  work  to  do  all  the  morning,  but  came  out 
to  the  tennis  lawn  with  a  message  to  her  mistress  just 
before  luncheon,  during  an  exciting  single  match  be- 
tween the  Duke  and  an  agile  young  man — the  last  game 
was  at  80  all — and  Katherine  paused  to  watch  the 
strokes — 40-30 — ^And  then  Mordryn  won — amidst 
shouts  of  applause. 

Katherine  had  remarked  that  he  ran  about  very 
290 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

little  and  won  by  sheer  style  and  skill  and  hard  hit- 
ting. 

She  did  not  loiter  a  second  when  he  was  free  to  move, 
but  flitted  back  to  the  house  before  he  could  get  near 
her. 

She  lunched  alone  in  her  schoolroom. 

By  the  afternoon,  when  she  did  appear  at  tea,  the 
Duke  was  thoroughly  ill-tempered,  he  knew  not  why 
or  for  what  reason,  merely  that  his  mood  was  so.  Kath- 
erine,  busy  with  the  teapot,  only  raised  her  head  to 
give  a  polite,  respectful  bow  in  answer  to  his  greeting. 
He  was  infinitely  too  much  a  man  of  the  world  to  single 
out  the  humble  secretary  and  draw  upon  her  the  wrath 
of  these  lovely  guests.  So  he  contented  himself  by 
watching  her,  and  noting  her  unconcerned  air  and  easy 
grace.  Some  of  the  people  seemed  to  know  her  well 
and  be  very  friendly  with  her. 

She  showed  not  the  slightest  sign  of  a  desire  to  speak 
to  him — Could  it  be  possible  that  this  was  the  girl  who 
only  that  night  week  had  talked  with  him  upon  the 
enthralling  subject  of  love! 

Those  utterances  of  hers  which  had  sounded  so 
cryptic  at  the  time  were  intelligible  now.  How  subtle 
had  been  her  comprehension  of  the  situation.  Pie  re- 
membered her  face  when  he  had  asked  her  if  she  knew 
Blissington !  And  again  when  she  had  told  him  that 
that  night  week  he  would  know  how  altogether  unprofit- 
able anv  investio-ations  rea-ardino-  her  would  be!  And 
now  in  the  character  of  humble  secretary  she  was  just  as 
complete  as  she  had  been  when  apparently  a  fellow 
guest  and  social  equal.  It  was  all  annoyingly  disturb- 
ing. It  placed  him  in  a  false  position  and  her  in  one  in 
which  she  held  all  the  advantages  !  iVnd  there  she  sat 
serene  and  dignified,  hedged  round  with  that  barrier  of 

291 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

ice  of  which  slic  had  spoken.  He  had  not  experienced 
such  perplexing  emotions  for  many  years. 

He  wanted  to  talk  to  her.  He  wanted  to  ask  her 
what  it  all  meant — He  would  like  to  know  her  history, 
and  whence  she  had  come.  Gwendoline  d'Estaire  had 
treated  her,  he  had  noticed,  not  as  a  dependent,  but  as 
a  friend.  He  felt  himself  rather  awkward — he,  a  maD 
of  the  world  accustomed  to  homage  from  women ! 

He  did  manage  to  say  that  it  was  a  bore  that  the 
rain  had  come  on,  and  it  looked  as  though  to-morrow 
would  be  wet.  And  he  felt  humiliated  at  the  fine,  in- 
stantly suppressed  smile  which  flickered  round  her 
mouth  at  this  brilliant  remark  from  an  acknowledged 
wit! 

Then  he  became  angry  with  himself — what  matter  to 
him  whether  she  smiled  or  did  not  smile.'*  It  was  obvious 
that  he  could  not  be  on  terms  of  familiar  friendship 
with  Seraphim's  secretary,  at  his  age  and  with  his 
position.  So  he  had  strength  of  mind  to  move  away 
from  the  table,  and  to  allow  himself  to  be  purred  over 
by  one  of  the  trio  of  charmers  who  had  been  asked  for 
his  benefit — but  rage  mounted  in  his  breast.  He  was 
not  enjoying  himself  at  all,  and  if  he  did  not  see  more 
of  his  old  friend  herself,  he  really  would  not  stay  over 
^londay  as  he  had  intended,  but  would  go  back  to  town 
on  Sunday  night! 

Lady  Garribardine  knew  the  signs  of  the  times  and 
took  him  ofF  to  her  sitting-room  after  tea  when  most 
of  the  others  began  to  play  bridge. 

"I  think  modern  women  have  less  charm  than  they 
had,  Seraphim,"  the  Duke  said  from  the  depths  of  an 
armchair,  rather  acidly.  "They  are  almost  as  illiter- 
ate as  ladies  of  the  ballet  used  to  be  when  I  was  young ; 
they  are  quite  as  slangy  and  noisy,  and  they  are  full 

292 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

of  affectations.  If  one  does  not  know  the  last  word 
of  their  fashionable  jargon  and  cannot  keep  up  a  con- 
stant flow  of  'back  talk' — which,  incidentally,  it  would 
require  the  wit  of  the  St.  James  Street  cabmen  of 
twenty  years  ago  to  be  able  to  do — one  is  asphyxiated 
by  them.  I  shall  have  to  become  acclimated,  I  feel.  I 
have  been  too  long  away  and  have  lost  touch  with  the 
movement — I  sigh  for  repose  and  peace." 

"Nonsense,  Mordryn — it  will  do  you  a  great  deal  of 
good  to  be  shaken  up,  3'ou  must  move  with  the  times." 

"But  I  entirely  decline  to  do  so.     To  what  end.'"' 

"You  must  certainly  marry  again  now  that  you  are 
at  last  free." 

"Undoubtedly  it  is  m}-  obvious  duty,  as  otherwise 
the  title  will  die  out — but  surely  you  do  not  suggest 
that  I  should  convert  any  of  these  charming  creatures 
who  were  good  enough  to  try  to  lighten  my  mood  last 
night  and  to-day,  into  my  wife !  I  had  hoped  they  were 
at  least  safely  married,  and  now  you  make  me  tremble 
in  case  you  are  going  to  announce  to  me  that  some  are 
widows !" 

"Blanche  Montague  is ;  I  merely  asked  the  others  to 
accustom  you  to  the  modern  type.  They  are  to  break 
in  your  sensibilities,  so  to  speak,  and  next  time  you 
come,  if  you  don't  fancy  Blanche  I  will  have  a  selec- 
tion of  suitable  prospective  Duchesses." 

"Will  they  make  as  much  noise  as  these  'haUons 
d'essaiT' 

"More — nothing  modem  can  be  dignified  or  quiet, 
so  get  the  idea  out  of  your  head.  They  are  all  so  out 
of  door  and  so  hearty,  such  delightful,  fresh,  knowing, 
supremely  uninnocent,  jolly  good  fellows,  they  can't 
be  silent  or  keep  still.  There  are  too  many  new  revues 
to  be  talked  about,  and  too  much  golf  to  be  played, 

293 


THE  CABEEB  OF  KATHEBINE  BUSH 

and  new  American  nigger  dances  to  be  learned. — Come, 
come,  Mordryn !  You  do  not  want  to  be  ridiculously 
old-fashioned — and  really  Blanche  Montague  is  most 
suitable.  Montague  left  her  well  provided  for — and 
she  was  only  thirty-two  last  birthday." 

"But  I  don't  like  her  voice,  and  what  should  we  con- 
verse about  in  the  entr^actcs?" 

"Blanche  is  famous  for  her  small  talk,  she  will  start 
upon  any  subject  under  the  sun  you  please — and 
change  it  before  3^ou  can  answer  the  first  question.  No 
fear  of  stagnation  there!" 

"Even  the  description  tires  me.  I  prefer  the  lady 
who  you  assured  me  was  all  simulated  passion.  I  adore 
passion,  though  I  confess  I  prefer  it  to  be  real." 

"How  captious  of  you!  The  thing  is  unknown  in 
these  days,  it  has  to  be  reconstructed,  like  the  modem 
rubies — lots  of  little  ground-up  fragments  pressed  into 
a  whole  by  scientific  chemistry. — A  good  imitation  is 
all  you  will  get,  Mordryn." 

"I  loathe  imitations,"  and  His  Grace  shuddered. 

"I  think  you  had  better  give  me  an  exact  description 
of  what  you  do  want,  for,  my  poor  old  friend,  you  seem 
to  be  out  to  court  disappointment.  I  earnestly  desire 
to  help  you  into  a  second  noose  more  satisfactory  than 
the  one  I  originally'  placed  around  your  neck — so  out 
with  it!    A  full  description!" 

The  Duke  deliberately  lit  a  cigarette,  and  a  gleam 
of  firelight  cauglit  his  emerald  ring. 

"Your  famous  talisman  is  flashing,  Mordryn,  the 
lyre  shows  that  it  approves  of  your  thoughts !" 

"The  woman  I  should  like  to  marry  must  be,  and 
look — supremely  well-bred — but  healthy  and  normal, 
not  overbred  like  poor  Laura,  and  Gerard's  wife, 
Beatrice. — She  must  be  able  to  talk  upon  the  subjects 

294 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

which  interest  one — a  person  of  cultivation  in  short. 
She  must  have  a  sense  of  humour  and  fine  ideals  and  a 
strong  feeling  about  the  responsibilities  of  the  position, 
and  be  above  all  tilings  dignified  and  quiet  and  com- 
posed.— ^And  I  should  like — "  and  here  a  faint  depre- 
catory smile  flickered  about  his  mouth  for  a  moment, 
"I  should  like  her  to  love  me,  and  take  a  little  interest 
in  the  human,  tangible  side  of  the  affair — if  you  do  not 
think  I  am  asking  too  much  of  fate  at  my  age  ?" 

"It  is  a  large  order — I  only  know  of  one  woman  who 
answers  to  your  requirements  and  she  of  course  is  en- 
tirely out  of  the  question." 

"Who  is  she — and  why  is  she  out  of  the  question?" 

"Useless  to  answer  either  query,  since,  as  I  say,  she 
is  altogether  out  of  the  running.  It  was  only  an  idea 
of  mine,  but  I  will  diligently  seek  for  your  paragon — 
for,  Mordryn,  I  shall  never  feel  my  conscience  clear 
until  I  see  you  happily  told  off — and  the  father  of  at 
least  six  sturdy  boys." 

The  Duke  raised  his  hands  in  deprecation. 

"Heavens,  Seraphim !  You  would  overwhelm  me  with 
a  litter,  then !  My  wants  in  that  direction  are  modest. 
The  'quiver  full'  has  never  appealed  to  me.  I  want 
my  wife  to  bo  my  loved  companion — my  darling  if  you 
will — but  not,  not  a  rabbit." 

When  he  was  dressing  for  dinner  he  thought  over  his 
friend's  words — He  had  not  insisted  upon  knowing  who 
the  "one  woman"  could  be — He  himself  had  latel}'  seen 
a  creature  who  seemingly,  as  far  as  he  could  judge 
from  one  evening's  acquaintance,  possessed  quite  a  num- 
ber of  the  necessary  qualifications — but  as  in  the  case 
of  Seraphim's  specimen,  his  was  also  completely  out 
of  the  running,  and  not  to  be  thought  of  in  any  capac- 
ity— ^Alas ! 

295 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

It  was  strange,  with  this  resolution  so  firmly  fixed 
in  his  mind,  that  after  dinner  he  should  have  broken 
loose  from  the  bevy  of  ladies  waiting  to  entrap  him, 
and  have  deliberately  gone  to  the  piano  to  talk  to  that 
dull  little  Lady  Flamborough  who  was  leaning  upon 
the  lid,  chatting  with  Miss  Bush! 

Katherine  kept  her  eyes  fixed  upon  the  keyboard  with 
tliat  meek,  deferential  demureness  suitable  to  her  sta- 
tion when  amidst  such  exalted  company ;  but  her  red 
mouth  had  an  indefinable  expression  about  it  which  was 
exasperating. 

Mordryn  seized  the  first  second  in  which  Lady  Flam- 
borough's  attention  was  diverted  by  a  remark  from 
someone  else,  to  bend  down  a  little  and  say  softly, 

"Are  3-ou  not  even  going  to  say  good  evening  to  me, 
Miss  Bush? — It  is  'this  night  week.'  " 

She  looked  up  with  perfect  composure. 

"Good  evening,  Your  Grace." 

He  frowned.     "Is  that  all?" 

"As  Your  Grace  very  truly  remarked,  it  is  'this  night 
week.'  " 

"And  you  think  that  has  answered  all  the  riddles?" 

"Of  course." 

He  frowned  again,  he  knew  Julia  Scarrisbrooke  was 
swooping  down  upon  him,  there  was  not  a  moment's 
time  to  be  lost. 

"I  do  not — to-morrow  I  will  make  an  opportunity  in 
which  you  will  have  to  answer  them  all  categorically — 
do  you  hear.'^" 

Katherine  thrilled.  She  liked  his  haughty  bearing, 
the  tone  of  command  in  his  perfect  voice. 

She  remembered  once  when  she  and  Matilda  had  been 
eating  lunch  at  a  Lyons  popular  cafe,  Matilda  had 
said: 

296 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATIIERINE  BUSH 

"Mj !  Kitten,  there's  such  a  strange-looking  young 
man  sitting  behind  you — ^Whatever  makes  him  look 
quite  different  to  ever^^one  else?" 

And  she  had  turned  and  perceived  that  a  pure  Greek 
Hermes  in  rather  shabby  modern  American  clothes  was 
manipulating  a  toothpick  within  a  few  feet  of  her — and 
her  eye,  trained  from  museum  study,  had  instantly  seen 
that  it  was  the  balance  of  proportion,  the  set  and  size 
of  the  head,  and  the  angle  of  placing  of  eyes  which  dif- 
ferentiated him  so  startlingly  from  the  mass  of 
humanity  surrounding  them.     She  had  said  to  Matilda : 

"You  had  better  look  at  him  well,  Tild — You  will 
never  see  such  another  in  the  whole  of  your  life.  He 
is  a  freak,  a  perfect  survival  of  the  ancient  Greek  type. 
He  is  exactly  right  and  not  strange-looking  really.  It 
is  all  the  other  people  who  are  wrong  and  clumsy  or 
grotesque." 

She  thought  of  this  now.  The  Duke  stood  out  from 
everyone  else  in  the  same  way,  although  he  was  not 
of  pure  Greek  type,  but  much  more  Roman,  but  there 
was  that  astonishing  proportion  of  bone  and  length  of 
limb  about  him,  the  acknowledged  yet  indescribable 
shape  of  a  thoroughbred,  which  middle  age  had  not  di- 
minished, but  rather  accentuated. 

She  again  noticed  his  hands,  and  his  great  emerald 
ring — but  she  did  not  reply  at  all  to  his  announce- 
ment of  his  intentions  for  the  morrow.  She  bent  down 
and  picked  up  a  piece  of  music  which  had  fallen  to  the 
floor,  and  Julia  Scarrisbrooke  swooped  and  caught  her 
prey  and  carried  it  off  into  safety  on  a  big  sofa. 

But  as  Katherine  gazed  from  her  window  on  that 
Good  Friday  night  up  into  the  deep  blue  star-studded 
sky,  a  feeling  of  awe  came  over  her — at  the  magnitude 
of  the  vista  fate  was  opening  in  front  of  her  eyes. 

297 


CHAPTER    XXVI 

THE  Duke  found  great  difficulty  In  carrying  out 
his  intention  on  that  Saturday.  For  a  Duke  to 
escape  from  a  lady-pack  brought  there  espe- 
cially to  hunt  him  is  no  easy  task!  He  had  reason  to 
believe  that  his  hostess  would  not  aid  him  either,  and 
that  it  would  be  impossible  to  appeal  to  her  sympathy, 
because  he  was  quite  aware  that  he  would  withhold  his 
own,  had  he  to  look  at  the  matter  dispassionately  as 
concerning  someone  else. 

It  was  a  fool's  errand  he  was  bent  upon  In  all  senses 
of  the  phrase.  But  as  this  conviction  forced  itself  upon 
him,  the  desire  to  see  and  talk  with  Katherine  grew 
stronger. 

It  happened  that  she  lunched  downstairs.  At  such 
a  large  party  as  this,  that  meal  was  consumed  at  sev- 
eral small  tables  of  six  each,  and  of  course  the  secre- 
tary was  not  placed  at  His  Grace's !  Indeed,  she  sat 
at  one  directly  at  liis  back,  so  that  he  could  not 
see  her,  though  once  in  a  pause  he  heard  her  deep,  fas- 
cinating voice.  When  later  in  the  hall  coffee  and 
cigarettes  had  come,  Katherine  passed  near  him  to  put 
down  a  cup,  and  he  seized  the  moment  to  address 
her. 

"In  twenty  minutes,  I  am  coming  from  the  smoking- 
room  to  tlic  schoolroom — please  be  there." 

]\Iiss  Bush  gave  no  sign  as  to  whether  or  no  she  heard 
this  remark,  which  was  made  in  a  low  voice  with  a  note 
of  pleading  in  it.     If  he  chose  to  do  this,  she  would 

298 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

make  it  quite  clear  that  slie  would  have  no  clandestine 
acquaintance  with  him,  but  at  the  same  time  she  experi- 
enced a  delicious  sense  of  excitement. 

She  was  seated  before  her  typewriter  busily  t^^ping 
innumerable  letters,  when  she  heard  his  footsteps  out- 
side, and  then  a  gentle  tap  at  the  door. 

*'Come  in !"  she  called,  and  he  appeared. 

His  face  looked  stern,  and  not  particularly  good- 
tempered. 

"May  I  stay  for  a  moment  in  this  haven  of  rest, 
Miss  Bush?"  and  he  shut  the  door.  "In  so  large  a 
part}"^,  every  sitting-room  seems  to  be  overflowing,  and 
there  is  not  a  comer  where  one  may  talk  in  peace." 

Katherine  had  risen  with  her  almost  overrespectful 
air,  which  never  concealed  the  mischievous  twinkle  in 
her  eyes  when  she  raised  them,  but  now  they  were  fixed 
upon  the  sheets  of  paper. 

"Your  Grace  is  welcome  to  that  armchair  for  a  lit- 
tle, but  I  am  very  occupied.  Lady  Garribardine  wishes 
these  letters  to  go  by  this  evening's  post." 

"I  wish  you  would  not  call  me  'Your  Grace',"  he 
said,  a  little  impatiently.  "I  cannot  realise  that  you 
can  be  the  same  person  whom  I  met  at  Gerard  Stro- 
bridge's." 

"I  am  not,"  she  looked  up  at  him. 

"Why.?" 

"It  is  obvious — I  was  me — myself,  that  night — a 
guest." 

"And  now.!^" 

"Your  Grace  is  not  observant,  I  fear;  I  am  Her 
Ladyship's  secretary." 

"Of  course — but  still.''"  he  came  over  quite  close  to 
her. 

"If  I  had  been  the  same  person  as  the  one  you  met 
299 


THE  CABEEE  OF  KATIIEEINE  BUSH 

at  ISIr.  Strobridge's,  you  would  not  now  have  been 
obliged  to  contrive  to  come  to  the  schoolroom  to  speak 
to  me." 

A  dark  flush  mounted  to  his  brow.  She  had  touched 
a  number  of  his  refined  sensibilities.  Her  words  were  so 
true  and  so  simple,  and  her  tone  was  quite  calm,  show- 
ing no  personal  emotion  but  merely  as  though  she  were 
announcing  a  fact. 

"That  is  unfortunately  true,  but  these  are  only 
ridiculous  conventions,  which  please  let  us  brush  aside. 
May  I  really  sit  down  for  a  minute?" 

Katherine  glanced  at  the  clock;  it  was  half-past 
three. 

"Until  a  quarter  to  four,  if  you  wish.  I  am  afraid  I 
cannot  spare  more  time  than  that." 

She  pointed  to  the  armchair  which  he  took,  and  she 
reseated  herself  at  the  table,  folding  her  hands.  There 
was  a  moment's  silence.  The  Duke  was  feeling  uncom- 
fortably disturbed.  There  had  been  a  subtle  rebuke 
conveyed  in  her  late  speech,  which  he  knew  he  merited. 
He  had  no  right  to  have  come  there. 

"Are  you  not  going  to  talk  to  me  at  all,  then?"  he 
almost  blurted  out. 

"I  will  answer,  of  course,  when  Your  Grace  speaks; 
it  is  not  for  me  to  begin." 

"Very  well,  I  not  only  speak — I  implore — I  even 
order  you  to  discontinue  this  ridiculous  humility,  this 
ridiculous  continuance  of 'Your  Grace,'  resume  the  char- 
acter of  guest,  and  let  us  enjoy  these  miserable  fifteen 
minutes — but  first,  I  want  to  know  what  is  the  neces- 
sity for  your  total  change  of  manner  here?  Gerard  and 
Gwendoline  knew  that  you  were  Lady  Garribardine's 
secretary  that  night,  but  they  did  not  consider  it  im- 
perative to  make  a  startling  difference  in  their  rela- 

soo 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

tions  towards  you  because  of  that,  as  it  seems  that  you 
would  wish  me  to  make  now.'* 

Katherine  looked  down  and  then  up  again  straight 
into  his  eyes,  a  slight  smile  quivered  round  her  mouth. 

"That  is  quite  different — they  know  me  very  well — 
and  dear  Miss  Gwendoline  is  not  very  intelligent.  I 
have  been  there  before  to  help  to  entertain  bores  for 
Mr.  Strobridge  and  Lady  Beatrice,  but  that  night  I 
was  there — because  I  wanted  to  see — Your  Grace." 

Here  she  looked  down  again  suddenly.  The  Duke 
leaned  forward  eagerly ;  this  was  a  strange  confession ! 

*'I  wanted  once  to  talk  to  a  man  as  an  equal,  to  feel 
what  it  was  like  to  be  a  lady  and  not  to  have  to  remem- 
ber to  be  respectful.  So  I  deliberately  asked  Mr.  Stro- 
bridge to  arrange  it — after  I  had  heard  you  speak." 

The  Duke  was  much  astonished — and  gratified. 

"How  frank  and  delicious  of  you  to  tell  me  this !  I 
thought  the  evening  was  enchanting — but  why  do  you 
say  such  a  silly  thing  as  that  you  wanted  to  feel  what 
it  was  like  to  be  a  lady.^  You  could  never  have  felt 
anything  else." 

"Indeed,  I  could ;  I  am  not  a  lady  by  birth,  anything 
but !  only  I  have  tried  to  educate  myself  into  being  one, 
and  it  was  so  nice  to  have  a  chance  of  deciding  if  I  had 
succeeded  or  no." 

"And  your  verdict  was.^"  he  raised  amused  ej^ebrows. 

She  looked  demure. 

"By  Your  Grace's  words  just  now,  I  conclude  that 
I  have  succeeded." 

"Only  by  my  words  just  now?  I  thought  we  had 
had  a  rather  pleasant  and  interesting  hour  of  conver- 
sation as  fellow-guests." 

"Yes —  You  are  not  shocked,  then,  when  I  tell  you 
that  I  am  not  really  a  lady?" 

301 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

"No.  The  counterfeit  presentment  is  so  very  per- 
fect, one  would  like  to  hear  the  details  of  the  passage 
to  its  achievement." 

Then  she  told  him  in  as  few  and  as  simple  words  as 
she  could — just  the  truth.  Of  her  parentage,  of  her 
home  at  Bindon's  Green — of  Liv  and  Dev's,  of  her 
ideals,  and  her  self-education,  and  of  her  coming  to 
Lady  Garribardine's. 

Mordryn  listened  with  rapt  attention,  his  gaze  fixed 
upon  her  face — he  made  brief  ejaculations  at  times, 
but  did  not  otherwise  interrupt  her. 

"You  can  understand  now  how  entertained  I  was  at 
the  things  wh.Ich  you  said  to  me  that  night,  can  you 
not?" 

Thus  she  ended  her  story,  and  the  Duke  rose  and 
sat  down  upon  the  edge  of  the  table  quite  close  to  her ; 
he  was  visibly  moved. 

"You  extraordinary  girl.  You  have  upset  every 
theory  I  ever  held.  I  shall  go  away  now  and  think  over 
all  3'ou  have  said — Meanwhile,  I  feel  that  this  is  the 
only  way  in  which  I  can  show  my  homage,"  and  he  took 
her  hand  with  infinite  respect  and  kissed  it. 

Then  he  removed  his  tall  form  from  the  table  and 
quietly  left  the  room. 

And  when  she  was  alone,  Katherine  gently  touched 
the  spot  where  his  lips  had  pressed ;  there  was  a  quite 
unknown  emotion  running  through  her. 

She  found  it  very  difficult  to  go  on  with  her  work 
after  tliis,  and  made  a  couple  of  mistakes,  to  her 
great  annoyance.  Nearly  an  hour  passed.  She  got 
up  from  her  typing,  and  after  changing  her  blouse, 
went  down  to  tea,  her  thoughts  not  nearly  so  calm  as 
usual. 

Was  her  friendship  with  this  man  finished?  Had 
302 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

her  frankness  overreached  itself?  Just  what  did  that 
kiss  mean?  Here  was  a  character  not  so  easy  to  read 
as  Gerard  Strobridge's.  Here  was  a  will  perhaps  as 
strong  as  her  own.  Pier  face  was  very  pale,  and  those 
concentrated  grey-green  eyes  looked  stormy  and  re- 
sentful. 

The  Duke  reached  the  smoking-room  and  was  seated 
at  the  writing-table  only  one  moment  before  the  room 
was  invaded  by  Lady  Garribardine. 

"Poor  Mordryn !  You  had  to  take  refuge  here !  I 
fear  those  charming  creatures  I  have  invited  for  you 
are  proving  a  little  fatiguing." 

"Frankly,  Seraphim,  they  bore  me  to  death." 

"Two  others  are  coming  of  a  different  type  pres- 
ently. But  you  are  safe  in  this  corner.  Most  of  them 
do  not  know  I  have  moved  the  smoking-room  to  this 
wing." 

"I  think  it  is  a  great  improvement." 

Her  Ladyship  looked  at  him  out  of  the  tail  of  her 
eye,  but  she  said,  quite  innocently: 

"Yes,  Gerard  always  says  so."  Then  she  left  him  to 
his  letters,  with  a  word  as  to  tea  and  a  cosy  talk  in 
her  boudoir  after  it. 

So  Gerard  liked  this  room,  too !  Miss  Bush  was  with 
him  at  the  House.  She  dined  at  Brook  Street.  Then 
Mordryn  frowned  and  looked  the  very  image  of  the  Iron 
Duke,  and  did  not  even  begin  to  write  an  order  which 
he  had  intended  to  send  his  agent.  His  mind  was  dis- 
turbed. Every  word  Katherine  had  said  had  made  a 
deep  impression  upon  him. 

The  father  an  auctioneer — the  grandfather  a  butch- 
er !  And  this  girl  a  peerless  creature  fit  for  a  throne  I 
But  if  she  were  fit  for  heaven,  there  were  still  quite  in- 
surmountable barriers  between  even  ordinary  acquaint- 

S03 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

ance  with  her.  He  rather  thought  he  would  leave  Bliss- 
ington  on  Sunday  night. 

Then  he  frowned  again.  Gerard  Strobridge  was  a 
charming  fellow.  Seraphim  adored  him — he  was  often 
here — he  liked  the  smoking-room!  Somehow  the  con- 
versation must  be  turned,  when  he  was  alone  with  his 
friend  presently,  to  the  subject  of  Gerard. 

Then  he  found  himself  going  over  every  minute  sen- 
tence that  had  fallen  from  Katherine.  What  a  won- 
derful, wonderful  girl!  How  quite  ridiculous  class 
prejudices  were!  How  totally  faulty  the  reasoning  of 
the  world ! 

At  tea,  he  did  not  converse  with  Miss  Bush,  but  he 
never  lost  the  consciousness  of  her  presence,  and  was 
almost  annoyedly  aware  of  a  youngish  man's  evident 
appreciation  of  her  conversation.  So  that  his  temper, 
when  he  found  himself  in  Lady  Garribardine's  sitting- 
room,  was  even  more  peevish  than  it  had  been  on  the 
evening  before. 

Katherine  had  preceded  him  there,  but  had  left  ere 
he  arrived.  She  had  brought  some  letters  for  her  mis- 
tress' inspection.  When  this  business  was  finished,  she 
said  quite  simply : 

"His  Grace  came  up  into  the  schoolroom  after 
luncheon  to-day.  He  appears  to  have  been  confused 
over  my  two  identities.  I  explained  to  him,  and  told 
him  who  my  father  was,  and  my  mother's  father,  and 
how  I  have  only  tried  to  make  myself  into  a  lady.  It 
did  not  seem  fair  that  he  should  think  that  I  was  really 
one  born." 

Lady  Garribardine  looked  disagreeable  for  an  in- 
stant. She,  too,  had  to  conquer  instinct  at  times,  which 
asserted  itself  in  opposition  even  to  her  heart's  desire, 
and  her  deliberate  thought-out  intentions.     One  of  her 

804 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

ancestors  had  put  a  retainer  in  chains  for  presumption ! 
But  her  intelligence  crushed  out  the  folly  almost  as 
quickly  as  it  arose,  and  she  smiled: 

"And,  of  course,  the  Duke  at  once  said  he  could  not 
know  common  people,  and  bounced  from  the  room! 
Katherine  Bush,  you  are  a  minx,  my  child!" 

Katherine  laughed  softly. 

"lie  did  not  say  that  exactly — ^but  he  did  go  away 
very  soon." 

"  'Pie  that  fights  and  runs  away !'  "  quoth  Her  Lady- 
ship ;  "but  I  don't  think  you  had  better  let  him  come 
to  the  schoolroom  again.  Martha  will  be  having  her 
say  about  the  matter." 

Kathenne  reddened.  That  her  dear  mistress  should 
think  her  so  stupid! 

"I  did  not  intend  to.  It  is  very  difficult — even  the 
greatest  gentlemen  do  not  seem  to  know  their  places 
always." 

"A  man  finds  his  place  near  the  woman  he  wants  to 
talk  to — you  must  not  forget  that,  girl !" 

"It  is  a  Httle  mean  and  puts  the  woman  in  a  false 
position  often." 

"She  prefers  that  to  indifference.  There  is  one  very 
curious  thing  about  women,  the  greatest  prude  is  not 
altogether  inwardly  displeased  at  the  knowledge  that 
she  exercises  a  physical  attraction  for  men.  Just  as 
the  greatest  intellectual  among  men  feels  more  flattered 
if  exceptional  virility  is  imputed  to  Piim,  than  all  the 
spiritual  gifts !  Virility — a  quality  which  he  shares 
with  the  lower  animals,  spirituality  a  gift  which  he  in- 
herits from  God.  Oh !  we  are  a  mass  of  incongruities, 
we  humans !  and  brutal  nature  eventually  wins  the  game. 
Animal  savagery  is  always  the  outcome  of  too 
much    civilisation.       And    unless    the    dark    ages    of 

805 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

ignorance  fall  upon  us  once  more,  so  that  we  can  again 
be  sufficiently  simple  to  believe  en  masse  in  a  God,  I 
feel  our  cycle  is  over  and  that  we  shall  be  burnt  out  of 
time." 

Then  presently,  ?s  her  secretary  was  moving  towards 
the  door.  Her  Ladyship  remarked  irrelevantly: 

"Look  here,  girl — Do  you  think  it  is  in  your  na- 
ture ever  to  love  really,  or  are  you  going  to  let  brain 
conquer  ahvays?" 

"I — do  not  know,"  faltered  Katherine. 

"Love  is  the  only  thing  on  earth  which  is  sublime. 
This  evening  until  you  come  down  after  dinner,  I  recom- 
mend you  to  read  the  'Letters  of  Abeiard  and  Heloise'." 

The  Duke  talked  of  politics  for  a  while  when  he  came 
into  his  old  love's  sitting-room — and  then  of  books  and 
ideas,  and  lastly  of  Gerard.  Was  he  happy  with  Bea- 
trice, after  all? 

"Yes,  they  do  very  well  together.  Beatrice  is  bred 
out  of  all  natural  emotions.  She  is  sexless  and  well- 
mannered  and  unconsciously  humorous.  They  go  their 
own  ways." 

"But  Gerard  was  always  an  ardent  lover.  Has  he 
had  no  emotions  since  the  Alice  Southerwood  days.''" 

"A  transient  passion  for  Lao  Delemar,  and  since 
then  a  deep  devotion  elsewhere — quite  unreturned, 
though.     It  has  rather  improved  him." 

The  Duke  unconsciously  felt  relief. 

"Unreturned.'' — that  must  be  a  new  experience  for 
him ;  Gerard  has  every  quality  to  attract  a  woman." 

"This  one  is  infinitely  too  proud  and  too  intelligent 
to  waste  a  thought  upon  a  married  man." 

"It  is  a  girl,  then !  How  unlike  Gerard's  usual 
taste !" 

306 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

"Yes — Mordryn,  shall  you  open  Valfreyne  quite 
soon?" 

"Immediately — I  sliall  have  a  party  for  Whitsuntide, 
if  you  will  honour  me  by  acting  hostess." 

"All  right — if  I  may  bring  my  personnel  with  me — 
a  laro-e  order!  I  can't  stand  the  racket  without  Stirl- 
ing  and  James  and  Harmon,  my  chauffeur — and  Miss 
Bush." 

"All  are  perfectly  welcome — especially  Miss  Bush. 
She  appeared  an  extremely  clever  girl  when  I  had  the 
pleasure  of  talking  to  her." 

"Yes,  she  is  a  wonderful  creature.  I  am  thinking  of 
marrying  her  off  to  Sir  John  Townly." 

The  Duke  leaned  forward,  his  voice  was  quite 
shocked. 

"How  inhuman.  Seraphim!  John  Townly  must  be 
sixty,  at  least." 

"My  dear  Mordryn,  that  is  only  seven  years  older 
than  you  are,  and  I  look  upon  you  as  hardly  yet  at  the 
prime  of  life — and  beggars  cannot  be  choosers,  the  girl 
is  of  no  family.     Neither  for  that  matter  is  Sir  John. 

It  will  be  suitable  in  every  way I  suppose  you  will 

let  me  have  a  say  as  to  the  guests  for  the  Whitsuntide 
outbreak,  eh  .'*" 

"Naturally — but  spare  me  any  too  overmodern  wid- 
ows, or  any  further  breakers  in  of  my  sensibilities !" 

Seraphim  laughed,  and  they  set  about  making  the 
list. 

But  when  the  Duke  had  gone  to  dress,  she  looked  long 
into  the  fire,  something  a  little  sentimental  and  yet  sat- 
isfied in  her  gaze. 

"Dear  Mordryn — Gerard  and  the  smoking-room 
caused  him  uneasiness ;  it  would  not  have  done  for  that 
to  continue,  because  of  the  unpleasant  reflection  that 

SOT 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

G.  is  a  married  man.  Sir  John  was  splendid — but  Mor- 
dryn  is  no  fool.    I  must  now  really  oppose  him  in  every 

possible  way I  am  not  sure  if,  after  all,  I  shall 

take  her  to  Valfreyne." 

And  the  Duke,  as  he  dressed,  said  to  himself  that  he 
did  not  understand  women.  Here  was  Seraphim,  a 
creature  with  the  kindest  heart,  yet  so  full  of  that  dis- 
tressingly feminine  matchmaking  instinct  which  was  the 
curse  of  her  sex,  that  she  was  ready  to  pitchfork  this 
charming,  living,  fascinating  young  person  into  the 
mouldering  arms  of  old  John  Townly!  The  idea  was 
simply  revolting  to  contemplate,  even  if  beggars  could 
not  be  choosers !  And  then  suddenly  he  seemed  to  see 
the  auctioneer  father  and  the  butcher  grandfather  and 
the  home  at  Bindon's  Green! 

He  walked  down  to  dinner  in  a  subdued  mood. 


CHAPTER    XXVII 

ON  Easter  Sunday  in  church,  Katherlne  sat  in  the 
overflow  pew,  and  so  could  be  looked  at  by  those 
highly  placed  in  the  chancel  seat  of  honour 
without  the  least  turning  of  their  heads.  It  was  not 
surprising,  then,  that  the  Duke  found  the  sermon  a 
very  good,  and  a  very  short  one,  as  his  thoughts  ran 
on  just  as  Gerard  Strobridge's  had  done  in  that  same 
church  once  before. 

What  a  charming  oval  face  the  girl  had — and  how 
purely  white  was  her  skin !  What  was  she  thinking 
about  with  that  inscrutable  expression?  The  mouth 
was  so  firm  and  so  was  the  chin.  Full  red  lijjs,  which 
were  yet  firm,  were  dangerous  things.  Her  air  was  very 
distinguished  and  her  garments  showed  great  taste. 
The  whole  thing  was  incredible,  of  course;  there  must 
be  some  harking  back  to  gentle  blood.  Not  one  of 
the  party  looked  so  like  his  ideal  of  a  lady  as  she. 

And  she  had  spoken,  too,  of  love !  She  had  admitted 
that  she  knew  of  one  side  of  it.  What  were  her  words, 
"It  makes  one  feel  mad — agitated,  unbalanced,  animal, 
even  motherly  and  protective,"  but  what  it  could  be  if 

it  touched  the  soul  she  could  not  fathom Well, 

the  phase  which  she  did  know  was  not  without  its 
charm!  What  extraordinary,  alluring  eyes  she  had! 
Who  could  the  fellow  have  been.'^  Not  a  person  from — 
er — Bindon's  Green,  of  course ;  she  must  always  have 
been  too  refined  for  that — and  not  Gerard.  A  woman 
who  had  once  felt  those  emotions  for  a  man  did  not 

309 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

look  at  him  with  that  serene  calm  with  which  Miss  Bush 
had  looked  at  Gerard.  What  a  most  damnably 
exasperating  circumstance  it  was  that  she  was  not  a 
guest — and  that  he  could  not  spend  the  afternoon 
discussing  love,  and  its  aspects,  while  pacing  that 
sunny  walk  in  the  walled  garden,  safe  from  the  east 
wind ! 

How  beautifully  her  hair  grew!  The  brow  was 
queenly.  How  well  it  would  look  with  an  all-round 
crown  of  diamonds  surmounting  it.  Sir  John  would 
probably  give  her  something  of  the  sort.  These  rich 
parvenus — people  with  but  a  grandfather,  perhaps — 
would  buy  some  flashy  modern  thing!  That  kind  of 
head  would  do  justice  to  family  jewels.  He  knew  of 
one  particular  crown  which  had  belonged  to  a  certain 
Duchess  of  early  regency  days,  which  was  reposing  now 
at  Garrards,  and  which  would  be  specially  becoming. 
Italy — she  had  spoken  of  Italy,  she  had  never  been 
there ;  what  a  companion  to  take  to  Italy !  She  grasped 
the  spirit  of  countries.  How  she  had  understood 
"Eothcn !" 

But  the  people  were  rising — the  sermon  was  over. 
Capital  fellow,  Woolman,  his  sermons  were  much 
shorter,  though,  than  they  used  to  be.  Would  she  walk 
back  across  the  park?  Yes,  of  course,  and  he  would 
have  to  motor.  What  contemptible  slaves  civilisation 
made  of  people! 

As  everyone  was  assembled  in  the  hall  on  the  way  to 
luncheon,  the  exasperated  Duke  came  over  to  Kath- 
erine. 

"Can  I  find  shelter  in  the  peaceful  backwater  again 
this  afternoon.  Miss  Bush?  It  is  a  vile  day,  you  see, 
and  no  tennis  is  possible." 

"No,  I  am  afraid  not." 

310 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

"Does  that  mean  no  tennis  or  no  backwater?" 

"Both." 

"Why?" 

"The  schoolroom  is  not  intended  for  visitors,  and 
Sunday  afternoon  is  the  only  tunc  in  which  I  can  sit 
in  the  armchair  myself  and  read." 

"I  would  not  take  more  than  the  edge  of  the  table,  if 
you  would  let  me  come,"  eagerly,  "and  we  could  talk 
over  what  you  are  reading." 

Katherine  looked  at  him,  and  there  was  reproach  in 
her  eyes. 

"Your  Grace  must  know  that  it  is  altogether  impos- 
sible for  you  to  come  to  the  schoolroom ;  it  could  but 
bring  censure  upon  me — is  it  quite  kind?" 

He  was  contrite  in  a  moment. 

"Forgive  me!  I  see  my  suggestion  was  not  chival- 
rous— forgive  me  a  thousand  times." 

She  moved  on  with  the  general  company  without  an-- 
swering  and  it  chanced  at  luncheon  that  the  Duke  could 
see  her  face,  and  it  looked  to  him  rather  sad.  He  felt 
a  number  of  things,  and  even  though  it  rained  he  went 
for  a  walk  in  the  early  afternoon  alone. 

There  was  obviously  only  one  post  which  a  woman 
in  her  position  in  life  could  fill,  in  regard  to  a  man  in 

his ■     But  every  fine  sentiment  in  him  revolted  at 

the  picture  of  it.  That  proud  head  could  never  bow 
to  the  status  of  mistress.  He  must  dismiss  such  va- 
grant thoughts,  he  must  dismiss  all  thoughts  of  her 
except  that  she  was  a  pleasant  companion  when  chance 
allowed  him  to  be  naturally  in  her  society,  for  a  minute 
now  and  then. 

There  were  so  many  other  interests  in  his  home- 
coming which  he  must  think  of.  His  public  duties, 
which  the  tragic  circumstances  of  his  life  had  forced 

Sll 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

him  to  waive  for  so  long.  There  were  pohtics,  too. 
The  renovation  of  the  London  house — the  plans  for 
the  Season — the  reopening  of  Valfreyne.  By  the  way, 
which  rooms  should  he  give  to  Seraphim  and  her  secre- 
tary for  Whitsuntide?  The  Venetian  suite  on  the 
ground  floor  in  the  west  wing.  Seraphim  should  have 
the  bedroom  and  dressing-room  and  sitting-room,  which 
looked  on  to  the  park,  and  Miss  Bush  the  smaller  bed- 
room hung  with  green  damask  adjoining — and  how 
would  things  be.''  She  would  be  his  guest  then, 
and  should  be  treated  with  all  honour.  There 
should  be  no  more  coming  into  the  drawing-room  after 
dinner — and  lunching  if  the  numbers  had  to  be  made 
up! 

But  to  what  end.''  This  was  ridiculous  weakness, 
this  allowing  his  thoughts  to  dwell  upon  her  so  much. 
He  had  better  go  back  to  the  house  and  talk  to  one  of 
the  newcomers — quite  a  nice  woman,  who  was  not  in- 
tent upon  falling  into  his  arms. 

And  Katherine  sat  in  the  schoolroom  for  a  little,  but 
she  did  not  read.  She  had  seen  the  Duke  from  the 
window  for  an  instant  passing  the  end  of  the  rose 
garden.  The  sight  of  him  had  made  her  sit  down  in 
her  armchair  and  begin  to  think. 

Could  the  barrier  of  the  enormous  difference  in  their 
positions  ever  be  surmounted,  after  all.''  Dukes  had 
married  even  actresses  in  the  past,  but  she  would  never 
accept  such  a  position  as  had  been  the  lot  of  such 
Duchesses.  She  must  only  wear  the  strawberry  leaves 
if  they  could  be  given  her  in  all  honour,  and  with  the 
sjnnpathy  and  the  approval  of  her  own  immediate 
world.  It  almost  looked  as  though  her  mistress's  ac- 
quiescence would  be  forthcoming.  But  there  was  yet 
another  side  of  the  question ;  there  was  the  recollection 

312 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

of  the  three  days  with  Lord  Algy.  No  faintest  uneasi- 
ness or  regret  about  that  episode  had  ever  entered  her 
brain  during  all  her  friendship  with  Gerard  except  on 
that  one  evening,  after  hearing  of  the  misfortune  of 
Gladys  and  upon  that  one  occasion  when  first  she  had 
again  seen  the  hotel  in  Paris.  Now  she  was  faced  with 
the  thought  what  would  the  Duke  say  if  he  knew  of  this 
circumstance  in  her  life?  With  his  lofty  point  of  view, 
his  pride  and  his  present  great  respect  for  her,  the 
knowledge  would  inevitably  part  them.  And  if  he 
should  remain  in  ignorance  and  marry  her,  the  secret 
fear  of  his  ever  discovering  the  truth  afterwards  would 
hang  like  Damocles'  sword  over  her  head.  It  would 
insidiously  and  inevitably  destroy  the  harmony  and 
perfect  balance  of  her  mind,  necessary  for  her  to  carry 
through  the  great  task  of  plajang  successfully  the  part 
of  Duchess,  and  it  would  eventually  spoil  her  whole 
life. 

She  more  than  ever  realised  the  certain  reaction  of 
every  single  action  committed,  and  of  every  thought 
thought.  Therefore  the  tremendous  necessity  of  fore- 
thought. 

Unless  the  mind  is  perfectly  at  peace  with  itself,  she 
knew  it  could  never  have  magnetic  force  to  propel  its 
desires,  and  must  lose  confidence  and  so  fail  to  reach  its 
goal.  This  she  realised  fully.  Her  particular  type  and 
logical  brain,  weighing  all  matters  without  sentiment, 
totally  uninfluenced  by  orthodox  ideas  as  to  morality  if 
such  orthodox  ideas  did  not  seem  to  be  supported  by 
common  sense,  caused  her  to  feel  no  guilt,  nor  any  so- 
called  conscience  prickings  on  having  taken  Lord  Algy 
as  a  lover.  They  had  both  been  free  and  were  injuring 
none.  To  her  it  appeared  no  sin,  merely  that  such  ac- 
tions, not  being  sanctioned  by  custom,  would  inevitably 

813 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

draw  upon  those  who  committed  them  the  penalty  at- 
tached to  breaking  any  laws,  even  should  they  be  only 
those  of  conventionality. 

But  beyond  all  this,  there  was  another  and  quite 
newly  experienced  emotion  troubling  her.  It  had  arisen 
sharply  and  suddenly  in  her  breast,  born  of  that 
strange  thrill  she  had  felt  when  the  Duke  had  kissed 

her  hand What  if  he — the  man  himself — should 

grow  to  matter  to  her — matter  as  Algy  had  done,  quite 
apart  from  his  Dukedom  and  his  being  the  medium 
through  which  she  could  gratify  her  ambitions? 

What  a  unique,  subtle,  extraordinary  emotion  she 
had  experienced!  She  must  keep  her  head;  she  must 
not  give  way  to  such  things.  How  hateful,  how  un- 
bearable it  would  be  if  one  day  she  should  see  disgust 
and  contempt  in  those  dark-blue  eyes,  instead  of  the 
look  of  homage  which  had  preceded  the  kiss ! 

Then  she  scolded  herself.  To  fear  was  to  draw  in- 
evitably the  thing  feared.  She  must  have  no  fears  and 
no  regrets.  She  must  pursue  her  plan  with  intelligence, 
and  if  the  feeling  that  she  was  using  deception  grew 
to  be  insupportable,  then  she  must  have  courage  to 
face  tlie  result  of  her  own  past  action,  and  she  must 
admit  herself  beaten  and  retire  from  the  game.  She 
went  over  the  chances  of  discovery.  Lord  Algy  would 
never  give  her  away ;  she  had  calculated  upon  that  fact 
when  she  had  chosen  an  aristocrat  for  her  partner  in 
initiation.  There  remained  only  the  valet  Hanson,  who 
had  seen  her  often  enough  possibly  to  recognise  her 
again.  But  he  did  not  know  her  real  name,  and  had 
shown  no  interest  in  her — too  accustomed,  probably,  to 
the  changes  in  his  master's  fancies  to  remark  upon  in- 
dividuals. Also,  she  was  so  completely  altered  since 
those  days,  no  casual  remembrance  Hanson  might  have 

314 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

kept  of  her  would  be  likely  to  revive  if  he  chanced  to  see 
her  now. 

The  odds  were  ten  thousand  to  one  that  neither  the 
Duke  nor  anyone  else  would  ever  know  of  her  adventure. 
It  thus  resolved  itself  only  into  a  question  for  her  own 
honest  soul  to  decide. 

The  common  sense  way  to  look  at  everything  was 
that  the  time  for  these  heart-searchings  was  not  yet; 
and  that  her  energies  must  be  concentrated  upon  con- 
tinuing to  profit  by  the  results  of  her  first  sensible 
action  in  making  the  impression  upon  the  Duke's  imag- 
ination unbiased  by  class  prejudices. 

So  presently  she  grew  quieter  and  at  last  fell  asleep 
over  the  wood  fire,  the  volume  of  the  "Letters  of  Abe- 
lard  and  Heloise"  still  in  her  hand. 

She  was  awakened  after  a  while  by  the  entrance  of 
Lady  Garribardine,  and  quickly  rose  from  her  seat. 

"I  am  sorry  to  disturb  your  well-earned  Sunday 
peace,  Miss  Bush,  but  some  of  the  guests  are  growing 
restive  with  the  wet.  Go  and  take  charge  of  those  in 
the  drawing-room  and  accompany  their  songs.  I  don't 
think  this  party  has  been  well  chosen,  the  elements  do 
not  assimilate." 

Katherine  was  laboriously  doing  her  duty  when  the 
Duke  came  in.  He  did  not  attempt  to  come  near  her, 
but  stayed  by  the  great  centre  fireplace  talking  to 
one  of  the  newcomers  without  his  usual  air  of  mak- 
ing a  virtue  of  necessity,  which  his  attitude  towards 
the  three  charmers  had  hitherto  suggested  to  Kath- 
erine. 

She  could  get  a  good  view  of  him  from  the  piano,  and 
found  her  eye  greatly  pleased.  He  was  certainly  very 
attractive.  He  had  that  same  humorous  and  rather 
cynical   expression   which    so   often   distinguished   her 

315 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATIIERINE  BUSH 

mistress.     His  figure  was  so  perfect  and  his  clothes, 
with  their  air  of  a  bygone  day ! 

For  a  second,  Kathcrine's  hand  seemed  to  tingle 
again  in  the  place  which  he  had  kissed,  and  she  ex- 
perienced that  nameless  thrill  which  is  half  quiver  and 
half  shock.  She  felt  that  she  hated  having  to  play 
the  accompaniments,  and  resented  her  position.  It 
gave  her  some  rehef  to  crash  loud  chords.  None  of 
the  younger  men  could  approach  the  Duke  in  charm. 
What  was  he  talking  to  that  woman  about.''  Inter- 
esting books.'*  some  of  their  mutual  friends,  perhaps.'* 
She  wished  she  could  hear — but  she  could  not.  His 
voice  was  lazy  again ;  she  caught  its  tones  now  and 
then,  but  not  the  words,  and  the  firelight  made  his  emer- 
ald ring  sparkle.  She  wondered  if  there  was  some  his- 
tory connected  with  it;  it  was  so  large  and  so  unusual 
a  signet  for  a  man  to  wear.  How  exquisite  it  would 
have  been  to  have  been  able  to  have  let  him  come  up 
to  the  schoolroom,  then  she  could  have  asked  him  about 
it,  perhaps.  She  sighed  unconsciously,  and  presently 
they  all  went  in  to  tea. 

There  was  some  inscrutable  expression  in  her  eyes  as 
they  met  his  in  handing  him  his  cup.  They  were  a 
little  shadowed  and  sorrowful.  They  drew  him  like  a 
magnet,  so  that  desire  made  him  at  last  use  sophistry 
in  liis  arguments  with  himself. 

What  harm  could  there  be  in  a  little  casual  conver- 
sation? and  he  took  a  seat  near. 

"Had  you  profitable  repose  this  afternoon  in  your 
armchair.  Miss  Bush.'"' 

"Yes,  I  hope  so — I  was  sorting  things  and  getting 
them  into  their  niches  in  my  mind.  I  hope  you  had  not 
too  wet  a  walk ;  I  saw  you  from  the  window  passing  the 
end  of  the  rose  garden." 

316 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

"I  wish  you  had  come  out ;  the  air  was  fresh  and  it 

is  rather  nice  to  have  the  wet  in  one's  face  at  times 

So  you  put  everything  into  niches  in  your  mind?  Was 
it  in  chaos  before,  then?" 

"Yes,  partly." 

"What  has  caused  this  upset?" 

"That "   and  there  was  a  peculiar  tone  In  her 

voice — "I  should  much  like  to  know — We  seem  to  come 
to  new  vistas  in  life,  do  we  not — when  everything  must 
be  looked  at  in  a  fresh  perspective?" 

"That  is  very  true " 

"And  then  we  must  call  up  all  our  sense  of  balance 
to  grasp  the  new  outlines  accuratcl}^,  and  not  to  be  led 
away  into  false  conceptions  through  emotion." 

The  Duke  was  greatly  interested.  How  exactly  she 
was  describing  his  own  state  of  mind — but  what  had 
caused  such  thoughts  to  arise  in  hers? 

"It  is  extremely  difficult  to  see  things  as  they  are 
when  emotion  enters  into  the  question,"  he  said,  "and 
how  dull  everything  appears  when  it  does  not !" 

She  looked  at  him,  and  there  were  rebellion  and  sup- 
pressed passion  in  her  compelling  eyes — and  the  Duke's 
pulses  suddenly  began  to  bound;  but  this  was  the  sole 
exchange  of  sentences  they  were  vouchsafed,  for 
Blanche  Montague  subsided  into  a  sofa  close  to  his  side 
and  beamed  at  him  with  a  whispered  challenge.  So 
Katherine  turned  and  devoted  herself  to  some  other 
guests  beyond. 

She  did  not  come  into  the  drawing-room  again  that 
night.  She  asked  her  mistress  if  she  might  be  ex- 
cused, for  if  not  really  wanted,  there  were  numbers  of 
letters  to  write.  And  Mordryn  looked  for  her  in  vain, 
and  eventually  manoeuvred  the  conversation'  round  to 
the  reason  for  her  absence,  when  speaking  to  old  Gwen- 

317 


THE  CAFEER  OF  KATHEEINE  BUSH 

doline  I'Estaire  who,  he  had  perceived,  was  devoted  to 
the  girl. 

"I  think  she  must  be  tired  to-night,  having  asked 
Sarah  to  excuse  her.  I  don't  remember  her  ever  to  have 
done  such  a  thing  before.  She  is  such  a  dear  child,  I 
don't  know  what  Sarah  would  do  without  her — we  are 
all  verj  fond  of  her.  A  perfect  lady,  wherever  she 
came  from,  but  I  really  do  not  care  from  where." 

"Of  course  not !"  cordially  responded  the  Duke.  And 
he  wondered  what  had  made  her  tired,  and  why  her  eyes 
had  been  rebellious  and  sad.  Was  she  wounded  be- 
cause he  had  suggested  coming  to  the  schoolroom,  with 
the  risk  of  drawing  down  censure  upon  her  head.''  She 
needed  some  explanation  certainly  from  him,  he  felt, 
upon  this  matter.  It  had  been  thoughtless  on  his  part 
and  not  really  kind.  He  would  not  leave  to-morrow, 
after  all.  Why  should  not  Gwendoline,  who  was  stupid 
and  good-natured,  be  used  to  further  his  plans  if  the 
chance  to  see  Miss  Bush  looked  too  impossibly  difficult 
of  attainment.''  But  he  went  to  bed  with  no  sense  of 
happiness  or  satisfaction  in  his  heart. 

He  liked  rising  early,  and  escaped  to  the  rose  gar- 
den alone  about  nine  o'clock  on  Easter  Monday  morn- 
ing. No  windows  but  those  of  the  smoking-room  wing 
and  those  of  the  picture  gallery  and  the  main  hall 
looked  out  upon  this  secluded  spot.  He  had  walked  to 
the  end  when  he  saw  in  the  distance  at  a  turn  in  the 
shrubbery,  the  figure  of  Katherine  disappearing  to- 
wards the  park.  This  was  luck,  indeed !  He  hurried 
after  her,  and  overtook  her  as  she  opened  the  shrubbery 
gate.  She  carried  a  basket  of  fresh  eggs  and  a  black 
bottle. 

"Whither  away,  Mistress?"  he  asked,  as  he  raised 
his  cap  and  walked  by  her  side. 

318 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

"I  am  going  to  take  these  to  old  Mrs.  Peterson  at 
the  far  lodge ;  she  has  not  been  well  these  last  days." 

"Jacob's  wife.?" 

"Yes." 

"Then  may  I  come,  too?  I  must  have  some  exercise; 
look  upon  it  like  that,  since  I  strongly  suspect  if  I 
told  you  that  it  was  simply  for  the  pleasure  of  being 
with  3"ou,  you  would  send  me  back." 

"I  should  not  want  to,  but  I  suppose  I  should  have 
to  say  that." 

She  was  looking  very  pretty  in  her  rough  homespun 
suit  and  green  felt  hat.  The  wind  had  blown  no 
colour  as  yet  into  her  cheeks,  but  had  made  her  little 
ears  almost  a  scarlet  pink.  She  seemed  the  embodiment 
of  sensuous  youth  and  health  and  life.  Her  type  was 
so  far  from  being  ascetic.  What  ever  the  mental  gifts 
might  be,  Nature  would  have  a  strong  say  in  every- 
thing concerning  her.  The  Duke  admired  her  supple, 
slender  limbs,  and  he  reflected,  just  as  Gerard  had 
done  long  before,  hoW'  very  stately  she  would  become 

presently — if  she  married  and  had  children Sir 

John — but  he  banished  Sir  John  ! 

"Shall  we  forget  all  those  stupid  conventions  on  this 
wild  March  morning,  and  return  to  the  stage  in  our 
acquaintance  at  which  we  were  when  we  said  good- 
night at  Gerard  Strobridge's .''" 

"That  would  be  nice." 

"Is  it  a  bargain,  then?" 

"Yes." 

*'I  am  not  to  be  'Your  Grace,'  and  you  are  not  to 
remind  me  every  two  minutes  that  you  are  Lady  Gar- 
ribardine's  secretary." 

"Very  well." 

"If  you  remember,  the  last  words  we  had  together 
319 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

then  were  finished  by  a  question  from  you  to  me,  as 
to  whether  there  was  not  something  else  in  love  beyond 
that  passionate  side  which  jou  intimated  that  you 
already  knew." 

"Yes,  I  remember." 

*'I  think  there  is  a  great  deal  more,  but  it  would 
rot  be  complete  alone.  Love  to  be  lasting  must  be  a 
mixture  of  both  passion  and  idealism,  but  where  can 
one  find  such  a  combination  in  these  days.''  The  emo- 
tion which  most  people  call  love  is  composed  of  self- 
interest,  and  a  little  transitory  exaltation  of  the  senses. 
But  such  old-fashioned  and  divine  qualities  as  devotion 
and  tenderness  and  self-sacrifice  are  almost  unknown." 

Katherine  did  not  speak ;  the  "Letters  of  Abelard 
and  Heloise"  were  very  fresh  in  her  memory;  one  pas- 
sage in  Hcioise's  first  letter  had  struck  her  forcibly: 

If  there  is  anything  that  may  properly  be  called  happi- 
ness here  below,  I  am  persuaded  it  is  in  tlie  union  of  two 
persons  who  love  each  oilier  with  perfct  liberty,  who  are 
united  by  a  secret  inclination  and  satisfied  with  each  other's 
merits.  Their  hearts  are  full  of  love  and  leave  no  vacancy 
for  any  other  passion;  they  enjoy  perpetual  tranquillity, 
because  they  enjoy  content. 

And  now,  with  sudden  illumination  of  the  spirit,  the 
conviction  came  to  her  that  this  was  the  truth,  and 
that  this  man  walking  by  her  side  talking  in  his  ex- 
quisite voice  to  her,  looking  at  her  with  his  deep  blue 
eyes,  could  inspire  in  her  all  the  passion  and  all  the  de- 
votion, and  all  the  tenderness  which  Heloise  had  felt 
of  old.  And  the  magnitude  of  the  discovery  kept  her 
silent,  with  lowered  lids. 

He  waited  for  her  to  speak,  but  when  no  words  came, 
he  bent  forward  and  looked  into  her  face.     The  eyes 

320 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

which  at  last  met  his  were  troubled  and  sweet,  and  not 
falcon-like  in  their  proud  serenity  as  usual. 

"Do  not  let  us  talk  about  love,"  she  said  at  last.  "It 
is  a  moving  theme,  and  better  left  alone.  Yesterday 
I  was  reading  the  'Letters  of  Abelard  and  Heloise,' 
and  it  is  wiser  to  remember  the  wisdom  in  this  phrase  ^ 
of  Abelard* s  than  to  talk  of  love:  *What  great  advan- 
tages would  philosophy  give  us  over  other  men,  if  by 
studying  it  we  could  learn  to  govern  our  passions.'  " 

Mordryn  smiled. 

"Finish  the  quotation,"  he  commanded,  "or  shall  I.'' 
*What  efforts,  what  relapses,  what  agitations  do  we 
undergo.  And  how  long  are  we  tossed  in  this  confusion 
unable  to  exert  our  reason  to  possess  our  souls,  or  to 
rule  our  affections.  What  a  troublesome  employment 
is  love!'  Philosophers  remember  Abelard  as  a  great 
scholar  and  ethical  teacher,  but  he  lives  not  by  his 
learning  or  his  philosophy,  but  by  the  memory  of  his 
profound   and   passionate  love." 

Katherine  sighed. 

"I  suppose  it  is  indeed  divine,  but  please  do  not  let 
us  talk  of  it;  it  makes  everyday  life  grey  and  com- 
monplace by  contrast." 

The  Duke  was  sufficiently  master  of  himself  to  real- 
ise that  it  was  wiser  to  take  her  advice.  To  discuss 
love  on  a  March  morning  with  this  most  attractive  and 
forbidden  young  woman  was  not  wisdom,  so  he  changed 
the  subject  by  expressing  his  contrition  at  having  come 
to  the  schoolroom.  He  hated  to  think  that  his  chivalry 
had  been  at  fault. 

Then  the}"^  talked  of  many  things,  all  in  the  ab- 
stract, evolution  and  ethics  and  aspirations  and 
theories,  and  at  last  Katherine  said : 

"How  glorious  to  be  you !    To  have  all  that  is  noble 
821 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

jour  own  bj  right,  and  so  to  have  leisure  to  let  your 
soul  expand  to  the  highest,  without  wasting  it  in  the 
struggle  to  emerge  from  clay." 

Her  deep  voice  had  a  passion  in  it,  and  her  eyes 
flaslied.  "You,  and  all  aristocrats,  should  be  grate- 
ful to  God." 

Later  in  the  day,  Mordryn  felt  that  it  was  fortunate 
that  at  this  particular  moment  they  had  reached  the 
gate  of  the  far  lodge,  tlie  opening  of  which  broke  the 
spell,  of  what  he  might  have  answered  he  did  not  feel 
altogether  sure,  so  deeply  had  she  affected  him. 

Mrs.  Peterson  was  a  good  deal  better,  it  seemed,  and 
Katherine  proposed  to  stay  with  her  for  half  an  hour — 
so  she  came  out  of  the  door  and  asked  the  Duke  not 
to  wait  for  her. 

"Go  back  without  me — I  have  been  so  happy — and 
please — do  not  talk  to  me  any  more  to-day — and,  oh! 
please,  remember  who  you  are  and  who  I  am,  and  leave 
me  alone." 

And  to  his  intense  surprise  and  sudden  unhinging, 
her  fearless  glance  was  softened  by  a  mist  which  might 
hare  presaged  tears. 


CHAPTER    XXVIII 

MORDRYN  spent  a  most  unrestful  day ;  he  found 
it  very  difficult  to  settle  to  anything.  He  felt 
it  wiser  whenever  his  thoughts  turned  to  Kath- 
erine  Bush,  immediately  to  picture  Bindon's  Green  and 
the  auctioneer  father  and  butcher  grandfather! — they 
acted  as  a  kind  of  antidote  to  the  very  powerful  in- 
toxicant which  was  flooding  his  veins. 

And  Katherine  sat  typing  mechanically  her  morn- 
ing's work,  but  some  third  sense  beyond  eye  and  hand 
was  busy  with  agitating  thoughts.  No,  she  could  play 
no  further  game  with  the  Duke,  fate  had  beaten  her^ 
It  would  be  no  acting.  She  knew  that  she  was  just  a 
woman,  after  all,  and  he  was  a  man,  and  the  Duke- 
dom had  gone  into  shadowland. 

He  possessed  everything  that  Algy  had  lacked,  there 
would  be  no  blank  half-hours  when  passion  was  lulled, 
with  him.  His  perfectly  cultivated  intellect  could  en- 
chant her  always.  She  adored  his  point  of  view,  as 
unconsciously  arrogant  as  Lady  Garribardine's,  and 
yet  as  free  and  expanded.  How  she  could  soar  with 
him  to  guide  her !  What  happiness  to  take  refuge  from 
everything  in  his  arms. 

He  did  not  seem  old  to  her;  indeed,  except  for  his 
thick,  iron-grey  hair  and  the  expression  of  having 
greatly  suffered,  which  now  and  then  showed  in  his 
proud  eyes,  there  were  no  unlovely  signs  of  age  about 
him.      He   could   still   call   forth   for   many  years   the 

323 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

passionate  love  of  women.   And  what  was  age?  A  ridic- 
ulous phantasy — the  soul  was  the  thing, 

Katherine  was  beginning  to  believe  that  she  herself 
had  a  soul,  and  that  Otto  Weininger  was  altogether 
wrong  about  individuals,  even  if  his  deductions  were 
correct  concerning  the  majority  of  women. 

Several  guardsmen  from  Windsor  came  over  to 
luncheon,  which  was  so  crowded  that  there  was  no  neces- 
sity for  Katherine  to  go  down,  and  tea  came  before 
she  again  saw  the  Duke.  Pie  deliberately  allowed  him- 
self to  be  entrapped  by  one  of  the  trio  of  Graces,  and 
did  not  come  near  her ;  and  when  Katherine  got  into 
the  drawing-room  after  dinner,  he  was  nowhere  in  sight. 
A  Cabinet  Minister,  one  of  the  few  Her  Ladyship  con- 
sidered sufficiently  worthy  to  be  allowed  to  visit 
Blissington,  had  arrived  in  the  afternoon,  and  the  Duke 
and  the  hostess,  and  another  man  and  woman,  made 
a  group  in  the  small,  red  drawing-room  in  earnest  con- 
verse; while  most  of  the  rest  of  the  company  danced 
in  the  hall.  And  Katherine  went  among  these,  and 
presently  she  slipped  up  to  her  old  schoolroom. 

His  Grace  was  carrying  out  her  request,  it  appeared, 
but  therein  she  found  no  joy. 

And  later,  Mordryn  drank  his  final  hock  and  seltzer 
in  his  old  friend's  boudoir,  where  they  had  a  little  talk 
together  alone. 

*'It  has  been  dear  of  you  to  stay  so  long,  Mordryn," 
she  told  him.  "P^specially  as  the  diversions  which  I 
hoped  I  had  provided  for  you  turned  out  of  no  more 
xise  than  a  plague  of  gnats.  I  hope  you  have  not  been 
too  bored?" 

"I  am  never  bored  with  you,  dear  friend." 

"No,  I  know  that;  but  in  a  big  party,  I  cannot  give 
324) 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

you  as  much  time  as  I  should  like.  You  will  come  again 
when  we  are  quiet,  though,  just  as  you  always  used 
to,  and  I  will  really  find  you  a  suitable  bride." 

The  Duke  was  in  a  cynical  mood,  it  seemed,  for  he 
treated  this  proposal  not  at  all  in  the  light  fashion  he 
had  done  at  the  beginning  of  the  visit. 

He  replied  gloomily  that  he  had  decided  to  select 
something  steady  and  plain,  if  he  must  marry — he 
knew  he  could  never  care  for  a  woman  again,  and  a 
healthy,  quiet,  well-bred  creature  with  tact,  who  would 
leave  him  alone,  was  all  he  asked.  Life  was  a  hideous 
disappointment  and  very  difficult  to  understand,  and 
to  try  to  do  one's  duty  to  one's  state,  and  get  through 
with  it,  was  all  that  anyone  could  hope  to  accomplish. 

But  to  this  Her  Ladyship  said  a  vigorous,  "Tut — 
tut!  You  speak  like  a  boy  crossed  in  love,  Mordr^-n! 
If  you  were  five-and-twenty,  you  could  not  have  a 
more  delightful  vista  opening  out  in  front  of  you,  *Si 
jeunesse  savait.  Si  vieillesse  pouvait' — that  was  cried 
from  a  wise  and  envious  heart !  Well,  you  both  know 
and  can,  so  what  more  could  a  man  ask  of  fate !  I 
have  no  patience  with  you !  I  don't  want  you  now  only 
to  do  your  duty,  to  fulfil  the  obligations  of  your  sta- 
tion. You  have  always  done  so.  Your  life  has  been  one 
long  carrying  out  of  noblesse  oblige.  I  want  you  to 
kick  over  the  traces  and  be  happy,  Mordryn !  Ridicu- 
lously, boyishly  happy ! — do  you  hear,  conscientious 
martyr!" 

Mordryn  heard,  but  his  smile  was  still  bitter,  as  he 
answered : 

"We  are  not  so  made.  Seraphim,  neither  you  nor  I — 
we  could  not  do  as  you  say,  even  when  we  were  young, 
and  tradition  and  obligation  to  our  order  will  still  dom« 
inate  us  to  the  end  of  time,  dear  friend." 

325 


THE  CABEEIi  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

Then  he  said  good-night  and  good-bye — for  he  was 
leaving  at  cock-crow  for  a  place  of  his  in  the  North. 

When  Lady  Garribardine  was  alone,  she  did  not  look 
at  all  disturbed  at  the  passage  of  events,  as  she  re- 
vicv/ed  her  Easter  party.  She  smiled  happily,  in  fact, 
and  decided  that  she  would  take  her  secretary  to  Val- 
frcyne  for  Whitsuntide,  after  all! 

Man  "proposed,"  but,  she  reflected  sagely,  God  often 
"disposed"  in  favour  of  intelligent  women ! 

In  the  following  week,  the  establisliment  from  Bliss- 
ington  moved  up  to  Berkeley  Square  for  the  season, 
and  Katherine's  duties  became  heavy  again. 

Her  first  meeting  with  Gerard  Strobridgc  happened 
quite  soon ;  he  came  into  the  secretary's  room  from  the 
library  after  luncheon. 

"Now  tell  me  all  about  everything,"  he  said.  "I 
have  gathered  from  Gwendoline  that  you  came  down 
every  night  and  had  3'our  usual  success  at  the  Easter 
party,  and  that  Mordryn  evidently  liked  3'ou,  for  he 
told  Gwcn  that  you  were  the  most  intelligent  girl  that 
he  had  ever  met." 

Katherine  half  smiled,  a  little  sadly. 

"Yes,  he  may  have  thought  so,  but  eventually  the 
secretary  swallowed  up  the  guest.  I  do  not  know  if 
he  will  ever  speak  to  me  again." 

"He  felt  as  badly  as  that,  did  he !  Poor  Mordryn ! 
No  doubt  you  tormented  him ;  but  Mordryn  is  lio  weak 
creature  like  me.  If  he  feels  very  much  about  you,  he 
will  either  defy  convention,  or  break  away  from  all 
temptation" — then  his  voice  changed,  and  he  asked 
a  little  anxiously: 

"Katherine,  do  you  begin  to  care  for  him.''" 

"Yes." 

326 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

"How  much?" 

"I  do  not  know — I  could  care  a  great  deal — ^he 
pleases  me  in  every  way — I  love  his  looks  and  his  mind 
— and  he — he  makes  me  feel  something  which  I  have 
never  felt  before — is  it  the  capability  for  devotion? — I 
do  not  know." 

For  the  first  time  in  their  acquaintance,  Mr.  Stro- 
bridge  saw  her  undecided,  gentle,  a  little  helpless  even 
— it  touched  him  deeply.  He  loved  her  so  very  dearly, 
ho  would  rather  see  her  happy  if  he  could  aid  her  to  be- 
come so.  He  came  over  to  her  and  leaned  upon  the 
table. 

"Dearest  girl — everything  is  a  sickening  jumble  in 
this  world,  it  seems.  I  have  a  kind  of  premonition, 
though,  that  you  will  emerge  triumphant,  however  it 
goes ;  but  after  to-day,  Katherine,  I  shall  not  see  you 
until  late  in  the  autumn.  I  am  going  away — to  Russia 
this  time — and  I  am  going  to  try  once  more  not  to 
care." 

So  even  her  one  friend  would  be  far  from  her.  Well, 
she  must  not  lose  her  nerve.  She  gave  him  her  blessing 
for  his  journey,  and  they  said  good-bye.  And  the  days 
went  on  apace. 

Matilda  was  engaged  to  be  married  to  Charlie  Prod- 
gers,  and  was  full  of  importance  and  glee,  and  had 
drifted  further  and  further  away  from  her  sister  ever 
since  the  engagement  was  announced.  Some  instinctive 
feminine  jealousy  made  her  feel  that  she  would  prefer 
Katherine  to  be  as  far  as  possible  from  her  fiance. 

"After  all,  Kitten,"  she  said,  when  they  met  in  the 
park  to  discuss  the  news,  "you  aren't  one  of  us  and  we 
aren't  one  of  you.  I  shall  be  moving  up  now  into 
Mabel's  set,  and  there  is  no  use  in  hiding  it,  Mabel  don't 
seem  to  dote  on  you." 

327 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

"Yes,  I  feel  that,"  agreed  Katherine,  meekly  lower- 
ing her  eyes,  so  that  her  sister  might  not  see  their 
twinkle.  "I  expect  we  shall  not  meet  often  in  the  fu- 
ture, Tild." 

"Well,  of  course,  Kitten,  I'd  always  be  very  pleased 
to  have  tea  with  you  up  here  now  and  then,"  and  Ma- 
tilda gave  an  uncomfortable  laugh ;  "but  it  is  always 
best  to  avoid  awkwardness,  isn't  it,  dearie,  and  you  are 
only  a  paid  servant,  aren't  you — living  in — not  like 
you  were  at  Liv  and  Dev's,  out  on  your  own,  and  every- 
one starts  better  in  considering  her  husband's  position, 
don't  they — and  Charlie  is  manager  in  his  department 
now,  and  very  particular  as  to  who  I  know." 

"You  are  perfcctl}'^  right,  Tild,"  Katherine's  voice 
was  ominously  soft,  "and  so  is  Charlie.  You  go  ahead, 
and  very  soon  you  will  have  got  above  Mabel,  and,  of 
course,  I  would  not  be  a  drag  on  you  for  the  world.  I 
think,  after  to-day,  we  will  just  write  to  one  another 
now  and  then,  and  you  must  not  bother  to  come  up  to 
see  me.  We  do  not  think  alike  on  any  point — but  I 
shall  always  remember  how  good  you  were  to  me  when  I 
was  a  tiresome  little  girl." 

"Oh,  Kitten !"  and  Matilda  felt  almost  tearful ;  for 
apart  from  her  fear  of  reawakening  her  fiance's  inter- 
est in  her  sister,  she  still  had  a  secret  affection  for  her. 

"Yes,  you  were  very  good  to  me,  then,  Tild,  but  now 
"we  have  come  to  a  final  parting  of  the  ways,  and  we  are 
all  satisfied — I  shall  fulfil  my  ideas,  and  you  will  fulfil 
jours." 

And  afterwards,  when  she  walked  back  to  Berkeley 
Square,  she  pondered  deeply.  There  was  no  such  thing 
as  family  aff'ection  really  in  the  abstract — it  only  held 
when  the  individuals  were  in  sympathy  and  had  a  com- 
munity of  interests.     They — her  family — were  as  glad 

328 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

at  the  thought  that  they  had  risen  above  her,  and  neej 
not  communicate  in  the  future,  as  she  was  that  she 
would  not  have  to  bring  her  mind  down  to  their  point 
of  view.  Matilda  was  the  last  link — and  Matilda  had 
shown  that  she  desired  also  to  break  away.  Katherine 
felt  that  but  for  Lady  Garribardine's  real  affection  for 
her,  she  was  virtually  alone  in  the  world. 

If  only  there  were  no  backward  thoughts  in  her  mind, 
she  would  have  looked  upon  her  fair  future  as  a  cer- 
tainty; sooner  or  later,  with  the  visit  to  Valfreyne  ia 
front  of  her,  and  the  frequent  occasions  upon  which  she 
must  see  the  Duke  at  her  mistress'  house,  she  knew  she 
could  continue  to  attract  him  if  she  so  desired,  and 
make  him  love  her  with  a  great  love.  There  was  that 
subtle,  indescribable  sympathy  of  ideas  between  them. 
And  as  Algy  had  called  forth  physical  passion,  and 
Gerard  the  awakening  of  the  spirit,  this  man  seemed  to* 
arouse  the  essence  of  all  three  things,  the  body,  the. 
spirit  and  the  soul. 

But  there  lay  this  ugly  shadow  between  them,  and 
she  began  to  realise  the  meaning  of  the  old  saw  from 
Horace,  "Black  care  sits  behind  the  horseman,"  and 
she  had  not  yet  made  up  her  mind  to  dislodge  him  and 
defy  fate. 

The  three  days  in  Paris  began  to  haunt  her  until  she 
severely  took  herself  to  task,  and  analysed  everything. 
She  must  not  look  back  upon  them  in  that  fashion.  She 
must  remember  them  gratefully,  she  told  herself,  since 
they  had  opened  her  eyes  for  the  first  time  in  a  way 
that  nothing  else  could  have  done,  and  she  indeed  felt 
that  it  was  very  doubtful  if  she  could  ever  have  obtained 
Lady  Garribardine's  situation,  and  so  her  education 
from  Gerard  Strobridge,  without  the  experience  that 
that  episode  in  her  life  had  given  her  to  start  upon. 

329 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

It  was  contrary  to  all  her  principles  to  allow  any 
past  action  to  influence  with  its  shadow  present  events. 
She  would  banish  the  whole  subject  from  her  mind,  and 
leave  the  future  in  the  hand  of  destiny — neither  assist- 
ing fate  by  personal  initiative,  nor  resisting  its  march 
by  deliberate  renunciation. 

But  she  seemed  very  quiet.  Her  Ladyship  thought, 
and  wondered  to  herself  at  the  cause.  The  Duke  was 
in  the  North  paj'ing  other  visits  for  some  weeks,  and 
when  he  did  come  to  Berkeley  Square  in  between  times 
he  did  not  see  Katherine. 

So  April  passed  and  May  came,  and  with  it  the  pros- 
pect of  Whitsuntide,  early  that  year.  Whitsunday 
fell  upon  the  eleventh  of  May. 

"You  must  have  some  decent  clothes,"  Lady  Garri- 
bardine  had  said,  a  week  or  two  beforehand,  "another 
evening  dress  and  an  afternoon  frock.  I  think  I  should 
like  the  first  to  be  white  and  the  other  black,  and  in 
your  own  excellent  taste.  You  will  dine  down  every 
night  as  a  guest,  and  we  shall  stay  from  Saturday  until 
Tuesday." 

"It  is  extremely  exciting  for  me,"  Katherine  ad- 
mitted. "I  wonder  so  much  what  the  house  will  be 
like." 

"It  is  a  huge  Palladian  Monument,  very  splendid  and 
ducal,  everything  is  on  an  immense  scale,  and  the  Duke 
keeps  it  up  with  great  state.  It  is  more  like  some  royal 
residence  than  a  house,  but  there  are  some  cosy  rooms 
to  be  found  in  odd  corners.  It  will  interest  and  educate 
you,  child.  You  had  better  read  up  all  about  it  in  one 
of  the  old  volumes  of  Country  Life — some  three  years 
ago,  I  think,  it  was  described." 

Katherine  lost  no  time  in  doing  this,  and  read  of  its 
building  in  1680,  and  of  its  wonderful  gardens  "in  the 

330 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

French  style" — and  of  its  superb  collections  of  pictures 
and  art  treasures,  and  of  Its  avenues  and  lake  and 
waterways  and  fountains.  Yes,  it  must  be  a  very  noble 
place. 

They  were  to  arrive  early  In  time  for  luncheon,  since 
Her  Ladyship  was  to  act  hostess  to  the  party  who 
would  come  in  the  afternoon.  And  when  they  ap- 
proached the  gates,  Katherine  felt  that  one  of  the  su- 
preme moments  In  her  life  had  come. 

The  park  was  vast,  larger  even  than  Blisslngton,  and 
with  more  open  spaces,  and  the  house  could  be  viewed 
from  a  distance — a  symmetrical,  magnificent  pile.  And 
it  seemed  that  they  walked  through  an  endless  succes- 
sion of  halls  and  great  salons,  until  they  were  ushered 
into  the  Duke's  presence  In  his  own  particular  panelled 
room. 

It  was  very  lofty  and  partly  filled  with  bookcases 
arranged  In  rather  an  unusual  way,  sunk  into  the  wall 
itself,  with  very  beautiful  decorations  by  Grinling  Gib- 
bons surrounding  them  and  also  the  intervening  panels 
wherein  fine  pictures  hung.  The  curtains  and  chair 
coverings  were  of  the  most  superb  old  blue  silk,  faded 
now  to  a  wonderful  greenish  tone,  and  harmonizing 
with  the  beautiful  Savonnerle  carpet  with  its  soft  tints 
of  citron  and  puce  and  green. 

Katherine  was  frankly  awed.  Blisslngton  was  a  very 
fine  gentleman's  house — but  this  was  a  palace.  And 
suddenly,  the  Duke  seemed  a  million  miles  away  from 
her,  and  she  wondered  how  she  had  ever  dared  to  be 
familiar  with  him,  and  rebuke  him  for  coming  to  her 
schoolroom  to  talk! 

She  was  meek  as  a  mouse,  and  never  opened  her  hps 
after  the  first  words  of  greeting. 

The  host  had  come  forward  with  cordial  gracious- 
331 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

ness  and  bidden  them  welcome,  and  he  had  looked  a  very- 
magnificent  person  somehow  in  his  morning  country 
riding  clothes.  And  all  the  glamour  of  high  rank  and 
power  and  fastidiousness  enhanced  his  natural  charms, 
so  that  Katlierine  felt  a  little  cold  and  sick  with  the 
emotion  which  she  was  experiencing.  He  was  courtly 
and  aloof  in  his  manner  with  all  his  kindness,  and  in  a 
moment  or  two  he  accompanied  them  along  to  the  Ve- 
netian suite  himself. 

"I  must  come,  dear  friend,"  he  had  said  to  Lady 
Garribardine,  "to  be  sure  that  you  have  everything 
you  can  possibly  want." 

The  Venetian  suite  was  on  a  par  in  splendour  with 
the  rest  of  the  house.  It  was  on  the  same  floor  as  His 
Grace's  own  sitting-room  which  they  had  left,  and  it 
was  reached  by  a  passage  place  which  led  to  the  same 
terrace,  which  the  windows  looked  upon;  this  was 
marble  paved,  with  a  splendid  balustrade.  The  ante- 
chamber had  been  arranged  with  a  writing  table  near 
the  great  window,  and  every  convenience  for  Miss  Bush 
to  do  any  writing  her  mistress  might  require.  For  the 
rest,  the  Venetian  suite  was  always  reserved  for  the 
most  honoured  guest.  Here  were  a  sitting-room,  a 
great  bedroom  and  dressing-room  for  Her  Ladyship — 
all  with  the  same  lofty  ceilings  and  fine  windows  as  the 
room  they  had  left,  and  behind  it  came  that  charm- 
ing green  damask-hung  chamber  designed  for  Miss 
Bush. 

"Here  in  this  apartment  you  will  find  yourselves 
completely  quiet  and  shut  off  from  the  world,"  the  Duke 
said.  "Once  you  have  passed  the  great  door,  as  you 
know.  Seraphim,  your  suite  makes  the  end  of  this  wing, 
and  only  I  can  approach  you  from  my  sitting-room !" 

Lady  Garrabardine,  who  knew  every  nook  in  the 
332 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 


house,  smiled  as  she  expressed  herself  as  content,  and 
he  left  them  alone. 

Katherine  examined  her  room;  it  would  have  struck 
her  as  very  large  if  it  had  been  in  any  other  house. 
It  looked  on  to  an  inner  courtyard  with  a  fountain 
playing,  and  statuary  and  hundred-year-old  lilac 
bushes  in  huge  tubs.  The  room  was  hung  with  pale 
green  silk,  and  had  beautiful  painted  Italian,  eighteenth 
century  furniture,  and  on  the  dressing-table  were  bowls 
of  lilies  of  the  valley. 

Slie  thrilled  a  little;  was  this  accidental  or  delib- 
erate ? 

She  was  very  well  acquainted  with  the  workings  of 
a  great  house,  and  the  duties  of  the  housekeeper  and 
groom  of  the  chambers.  She  saw  from  a  technical  point 
of  view  that  these  retainers  of  Valfreyne  must  be  of  a 
very  high  order  of  merit  because  of  the  result  of  their 
work;  but  even  their  intelligence  could  hardly  have  se- 
lected the  volumes  of  her  favourite  authors,  which  she 
had  discussed  with  the  Duke,  and  which  were  placed  in 
bookstands,  with  the  "Letters  of  Abelard  and  Heloise" 
and  a  beautiful  edition  of  "Eothen"  out  on  the  top ! 

These  silent  testimonies  of  someone's  personal 
thought  gave  her  unbounded  pleasure;  they  restored 
her  submerged  self-confidence,  and  made  her  eyes 
glow.  It  was  divine  to  feel  that  he  cared  enough  to 
have  troubled  to  do  this.  The  subtle  flattery  was  ex- 
quisite. 

A  burning  wave  of  colour  overspread  Katherine's 
face,  and  her  nostrils  quivered.  If  the  Duke  could 
have  seen  her — he  would  have  known  that  that  quality 
he  appreciated — the  quality  of  real,  natural  passion — 
was  abundantly  present  in  her  nature.  Strong  passion 
controlled  by  an  iron  will — a  mixture  which  he  thought 

333 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

quite  ideal  in  the  woman  whom  a  man  would  choose  to 
be  the  companion  of  his  life. 

It  was  this  particular  suggestion  about  Katherine 
which  had  alike  intoxicated  the  imaginations  of  these 
three  far  different  men,  Lord  Algy,  Gerard  Strobridge 
and  the  Duke.  The  human,  adorable  warmth  of  emo- 
tion of  which  her  white,  smooth-skinned  face  and  red, 
full  mouth  looked  capable. 

Lady  Garribardine  had  told  her  secretary  to  take  off 
her  hat,  as  she  might  be  required  to  do  a  little  work 
after  lunch. 

"I  shall  settle  with  His  Grace  how  I  think  the  party 
had  better  sit,  and  then  you  can  type  anything  we 
want." 

So  Katherine  was  particularly  careful  to  arrange 
her  silvery  hair  becomingly,  and  looked  the  perfection 
of  refined  neatness  as  she  followed  her  mistress  back 
into  the  Duke's  sitting-room,  and  then  on  in  to  luncheon 
in  a  smaller  dining-room  in  another  wing. 

They  were  only  three  at  the  meal,  and  the  host 
talked  of  politics,  and  the  party  who  were  coming,  and 
was  gracious.  He  did  not  treat  Katherine  with  the 
slightest  condescension,  nor  with  any  special  solici- 
tude. If  she  had  been  an  unknown  niece  of  Lady  Gar- 
ribardine, his  manner  would  have  been  the  same. 

Katherine  felt  chilled  again  for  the  moment,  and  had 
never  appeared  more  subdued. 

She  slipped  off  back  to  her  room  when  they  went  to 
have  coffee  in  a  small  drawing-room,  known  as  "The 
Gamester's  Parlour,"  for  in  it  was  hung  a  world-known 
picture  of  the  famous  thoroughbred  of  that  name,  the 
riding  of  whom  in  a  match  against  His  Grace  of  Chan- 
dos'  colt.  Starlight,  had  been  the  cause  of  the  third 
Duke's  breaking  his  neck. 

834 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 


There  was  no  immediate  work  to  be  done,  so  Kath- 
arine stood  and  looked  from  the  window  of  her  green 
chamber  and  took  in  the  view.  Surely,  she  thought,  if 
people  even  with  the  intelligence  of  Matilda  could  see 
such  men  as  the  Duke  and  such  splendid  homes  as  this, 
with  every  evidence  in  it  of  fine  tastes  and  fine  living  and 
fine  achievement,  stamped  upon  it  by  hundreds  of  years 
of  noble  owners,  they  could  not  go  on  being  so  blind  to 
the  force  of  heredity  and  environment  as  factors  in 
determining  the  actions  of  the  human  race. 

She  stood  for  a  long  time  quite  still,  with  trouble  in 
her  heart,  which  every  fresh  realisation  of  the  beauties 
around  her  augmented. 

No — the  Duke  could  never  overlook  the  three  days 
even  if  he  could  forget  that  she  had  come  from  Bin- 
don's  Green — and  she  could  not  banish  their  memory 
either,  and  so  would  never  be  able  to  rely  upon  her  own 
power  to  carry  on  the  great  undertaking  untrammelled 
by  inward  apprehension  and  self-contempt  at  the  de- 
ception of  so  great  a  man — her  serenity  would  be  gone 
and  with  it  her  power. 

Lady  Garribardine  opened  the  door  presently,  and 
saw  her  still  standing  there. 

"Run  out  for  a  little  walk,  child,"  she  said,  kindly. 
*'You  can  reach  the  terrace  from  the  passage  ante- 
chamber which  has  been  arranged  for  you  to  write  in, 
and  there  are  steps  at  the  side  into  the  garden.  I 
shall  not  want  you  until  just  before  tea.  The  Duke  has 
the  menus  and  cards  and  door  names  printed  by  his  own 
private  press.  Tlien  come  back  with  your  eyes  bright, 
and  put  on  your  new  black  frock." 

Katherine  thanked  her ;  there  never  could  be  anyone 
kinder  or  more  thoughtful  for  others  than  was  this  ar- 
rogant great  lady. 

835 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

The  girl  walked  in  the  fresh  May  sunshine,  but  noth- 
ing lifted  the  weight  which  had  fallen  upon  her  heart, 
and  her  cheeks  were  paler  than  usual,  and  her  air  had 
an  added  delicacy  and  refinement  when  she  followed 
her  mistress  into  the  great  tapestr}'  salon,  wherein  tea 
was  laid,  and  which  was  adjacent  to  the  hall  where 
guests  were  already  beginning  to  arrive. 

She  was  not  introduced  to  anyone  else,  but  several 
she  already  knew ;  they  were  selected  from  the  creme  de 
la  creme  of  Her  Ladyship's  set  of  the  rather  less  mod- 
ern sort. 

Mordryn  looked  at  her  constantly  unobserved. 
\Miat  was  the  meaning  of  this  new  expression  in  her 
face?  Why  would  she  never  meet  his  eyes?  And  hers, 
when  he  did  see  them,  turned  upon  ordinary  things, 
had  a  haunting  melancholy  in  them  very  different  from 
the  sphinxlike  smile  of  old. 

He  found  himself  more  disturbed  than  he  cared  to 
own.  He  wished  Seraphim  had  not  brought  her,  after 
all — He  wished — but  he  did  not  even  in  his  thoughts 
form  words.  Had  her  changed  air  anytliing  to  do  with 
that  last  abrupt  request  on  the  March  morning's  walk, 
tliat  he  should  remember  who  she  was  and  who  he  was, 
and  leave  her  alone?  Was  it  possible  that  she  felt 
something  for  him?  How  wrong  he  had  been  in  that 
case  to  put  the  "Eothcn"  and  the  "Abelard  and  Helo- 
ise"  and  the  lilies  of  the  valley  in  her  room — cruel  and 
wrong.  He  knew  now  that  he  saw  her  again  that  he  had 
thought  of  her  very  constantly  ever  since  Easter  time, 
and  had  chafed  at  getting  no  sight  of  her  when  he  had 
twice  been  in  London  and  had  gone  to  Berkeley  Square, 
though  his  determination  had  held  at  that  time, 
and  he  had  made  no  attempt  to  see  her,  or  even 
to   mention   her   name.      But   he   knew   that   he   had 

336 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 


looked  forward  more  eagerly  each  day  to  Whitsuntide, 
and  that  he  had  taken  peculiar  delight  in  the  surrep- 
titious supervision  of  the  details  of  her  lodgment, 
and  the  choice  of  volumes  wherewith  to  refresh  her 
mind. 

But  was  this  chivalrous  on  his  part?  Was  he  not 
playing  upon  the  feehngs  of  one  defenceless  and  in  a 
dependent  position — one  who  could  not  even  flee? 

He  grew  uncomfortable.  He  was  painfully  conscious 
of  her  presence,  and  a  sudden  mad  longing  came  to  him 
to  take  her  in  his  arms,  and  kiss  away  the  trouble  from 
her  eyes !  And  then  the  cynical  and  humorous  side  of 
his  character  made  him  smile  at  the  idea  of  such  feel- 
ings in  a  room  full  of  guests !  Guests  of  his  own  world, 
and  for  the  humble  secretary  of  his  old  love!  He 
fretted  under  the  restraint  of  his  uncase.  And  she  was 
here  in  his  house  and  he  must  suffer  the  temptation  of 
her  presence  for  three  more  days.  He  must  not  look 
at  her — must  not  talk  to  her !  He  must  not  have  any 
subtle  understanding  with  her  about  the  books — must 
not,  in  short,  do  anything  he  desired. 

Lady  Garribardine  watched  the  passage  of  events 
with  an  understanding  eye.  Something  further  must  be 
done,  she  felt. 

So  just  before  dressing  time,  when  the  company  had 
dispersed,  she  went  with  her  host  into  his  own  sitting- 
room.     The  evening  post  had  come  in. 

"Mordryn,  I  wanted  to  ask  you,  can  I  send  a  wire 
over  to  Hornwell.  I  have  just  heard  Sir  John  Townly 
is  staying  there,  and  I  want  to  suggest  that  he  motor 
over  to-morrow  to  tea.  It  will  be  a  splendid  chance  for 
him  to  have  a  quiet  hour  with  my  Kathcrine  Bush.  I 
would  like  him  to  see  her  here  as  a  guest ;  he  is  very 
much  in  love  with  her  in  his  heavy  way,  and  I  believe 

337 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

I  could  get  the  matter  settled  all  right  if  you  would  onlj 
help  me,  like  a  dear." 

The  Duke  experienced  a  most  unpleasant  twinge. 
This  was  rather  more  than  he  had  bargained  for !  Why 
should  Sir  John  Townly  be  given  this  opportunity  in  his 
house ! 

"The  match  is  quite  unsuitable,  Seraphim.  I  can't 
think  how  you  can  countenance  it." 

Her  Ladyship  appeared  deliberately  to  misunder- 
stand him. 

"But  I  assure  you,  Mordryn,  Sir  John  is  not  in  the 
least  upset  by  her  origin  or  her  suburban  relations ;  he 
realises  the  magnificent  qualities  of  the  creature  herself^ 
and  he  knows  very  well  that  she  will  make  the  finest 
hostess,  and  the  most  dignified  figurehead  for  Dulling- 
lea  that  he  could  find ;  besides,  with  her  health  and 
youth,  he  can  look  forward  to  a  strong  little  son  bj 
this  time  next  year." 

Mordrj'n  found  himself  absolutely  revolted — Kather- 
ine — (so  her  name  was  Katherine.?)  Katherine — this 
delicious  creature  to  be  the  mother  of  that  shocking 
bore  John  Townly's  son ! 

The  red  flush  mounted  to  his  broad  forehead. 

*'It  is  not  their  relative  worldly  positions  I  alluded 
to,  Seraphim — but  their  ages  and  appearances — and, 
oh !  tastes !  I  think  it  is  perfectly  inhuman  of  you, 
and  I  cannot  countenance  such  a  thing." 

"Mordryn  !  I  am  really  surprised ! — how  can  it  pos- 
sibly matter  to  you.''  You  must  have  seen  for  your- 
self that  night  at  Gerard's  what  a  charming  companion 
she  can  make,  and  how  utterly  she  is  wasted  in  the  po- 
sition of  secretary — and  yet  you  won't  help  me  to  do 
the  poor  child  this  good  turn !" 

"If  you  put  it  in  that  way — ask  whom  you  like,  but 
338 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

I  cannot  think  how  any  woman,  to  escape  any  position, 
could  sell  herself  to  such  a  man  as  John  Townly !" 

His  tone  was  heated  and  his  blue  eyes  flashed. 

*'That  is  just  the  tiresome  part  of  it,"  and  Her 
Ladyship  looked  concerned.  "I  believe  she  has  your 
same  foolish  and  romantic  ideas,  and  so  I  thought  if 
she  could  see  him  here  among  this  fine  company,  per- 
haps the  desire  to  remain  in  it,  and  the  glamour  of  the 
thing  might  bring  her  up  to  the  scratch.  Mordryn, 
do  help  me  like  a  kind  friend.  Just  think,  if  she  were 
to  leave  me,  whom  else  would  she  ever  see.''  She  has 
quite  separated  from  her  own  family ;  she  has  nothing 
but  a  life  of  drudgery  in  front  of  her,  and  she  is  fitted 
in  every  way  to  be  a  queen.  She  is  so  extremely  self- 
controlled,  she  would  never  make  any  slips  afterwards, 
and  her  ambitions  could  be  gratified  and  make  up  for 
lack  of  love." 

"I  think  the  idea  is  disgusting,"  His  Grace  snapped 
impatiently ;  "but  send  your  wire,  by  all  means." 

Then  he  abruptly  turned  the  conversation,  and  pres- 
ently Her  Ladyship  left  him  alone,  very  well  pleased 
with  her  work !  And  the  groom  of  the  chambers  was 
handed  a  warmly  worded  invitation  to  telegraph  to 
Hornwell,  as  she  passed  to  her  room. 


CHAPTER  XXIX 

WHEN  he  was  left  alone  the  Duke  swore 
sharply  to  himself.  He  was  not  a  man  ac- 
customed to  the  use  of  strong  language — but 
occasions  arose  in  life  sometimes  when  a  good  sound 
oath  seemed  to  relieve  tension ! 

Then  he  paced  up  and  down  his  long  room.  His 
imagination  was  on  fire.  He  could  see  Katherine — he 
dwelt  on  the  name  "Katherine"— in  the  baboon  embrace 
of  old  John  Townlj — loathsome  picture! 

Yes,  of  course,  she  would  adorn  any  position,  and 
Dullinglea  was  only  a  very  moderate  house.  He  could 
see  her  tall,  slender,  graceful  figure  sweeping  in  rich 
velvets  through  much  larger  rooms  than  it  contained. 
Such  rooms,  for  example,  as  these,  his  own  at  Valf- 
reyne ! 

She  would  sit  to-night  between  young  Westonborough 
and  old  Barchcster,  but  in  a  place  where  a  gap  in  the 
flowers  would  give  him,  the  host,  a  continuous  view  of 
her. 

Then  he  went  off  to  dress,  in  a  fiery  mood! 

Katherine,  meanwhile,  had  been  looking  over 
"Eothcn,"  and  noting  the  marked  passages,  which  she 
found  to  be  the  same  mutual  favourites  they  had  dis- 
covered that  night  at  Gerard's. 

Had  her  host  underlined  them  since  then,  or  were 
they  marked  before?  Then  she  peeped  at  "Abelard 
and  Heloise"  and  turned  over  all  the  leaves.  None  of 
them  had  any  pcncillings,  but  her  eye  caught  this  sen- 

340 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

sible  paragraph,  and  it  stiffened  her  jaded  spirit,  and 
made  her  feel  more  cahn: 

"  'How  void  of  reason  are  men,'  said  Seneca,  'to 
make  distant  evils  present  by  reflection,  and  to  take 
pains  before  death  to  lose  all  the  comfort  of  life.'  " 

She  was  here  at  a  splendid  party  as  a  guest  like 
everyone  else,  and  she  must  enjoy  it  and  forget  anything 
but  the  pleasure  of  the  moment.  But  oh!  if  the  Duke 
would  only  talk  to  her ! 

She  wore  the  new  white  frock  and  looked  quite  beau- 
tiful, and  some  of  the  lilies  of  the  valley  shone  in  her 
belt. 

Lady  Garribardine  was  extremely  pleased  with  her 
appearance  and  patted  her  arm. 

"To-morrow  Sir  John  Townly  is  coming  over  from 
Hornwell,  child,  and  I  want  you  to  be  agreeable  to 
him  for  me,  as  I  shall  be  very  busy.  You  must  take 
him  for  a  little  walk." 

Her  Ladyship  knew  that  however  irksome  it  would 
appear  to  Kathcrine,  her  command  would  be  obeyed ! 

The  Duke's  eyes  were  full  of  suppressed  passion  at 
dinner,  and  his  wit  was  caustic.  Katherine  could  not 
hear  it,  but  could  see  his  face,  and  the  puzzled  expres- 
sion which  now  and  then  came  over  the  two  ladies  on 
either  side  of  him ;  and  once  she  met  his  gaze,  and  there 
was  pain  and  a  challenge  in  it.  Excitement  rose  in  her 
before  dessert  came.  She  knew — she  felt — he  was  con- 
scious of  her  presence — and  that  it  was  not  indifference 
which  kept  him  from  her  side.  What  was  it  all  lead- 
ing to.^"  It  was  very  evident  that  he  was  determined  not 
to  succumb  to  whatever  it  might  be.  It  was  also  evi- 
dent that  he  certainly  did  experience  emotion. 

Katherine  felt  unhappy,  but  this  must  not  prevent 
her  from  talking  poHtely  and  sympathetically  to  the 

341 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

ladies  she  happened  to  be  sitting  next  to  in  the  great 
drawing-room,  until  the  men  came  in.  She  remarked 
how  protective  and  gracious  her  own  dear  Ladyship 
was  being  to  her,  saying  a  word  in  passing  and  making 
her  feel  at  home  and  an  equal  and  a  guest.  She  must  be 
very  grateful  for  these  things  and  not  look  ahead. 

Why  had  this  new  and  sudden  sense  of  values  come 
over  her?  This  realisation  of  the  frightful  obstacle  cre- 
ated by  the  blemish  of  the  three  days?  At  the  dinner 
at  Gerard's  she  had  not  so  much  as  remembered  them, 
their  meaning  had  come  in  a  flash  with  the  thrill  of 
the  Duke's  kiss  of  homage  upon  her  hand.  Had  she 
been  contemplating  union  with  Sir  John,  she  would  have 
looked  upon  them  as  a  fortunate  experience  to  guide  her 
in  her  knowledge  of  men.  So  this  was  some  psycholog- 
ical witness  to  the  demands  of  the  spirit  of — love!  Of 
love  that  desires  to  give  only  the  pure  gold  untarnished 
to  the  lover. 

She  felt  like  a  caged  bird,  and  her  triumphant  even- 
ing of  pleasing  women,  and  earning  the  admiration  of 
all  who  spoke  to  her,  tasted  only  as  Dead  Sea  fruit. 

Now  tlie  Duke,  when  the  men  left  the  dining-room, 
walked  straight  to  his  own  sitting-room.  He  was  a  man 
of  rapid  action  and  supreme  self-confidence.  He  opened 
the  inner  door  softly  and  listened — there  was  no  sound, 
he  could  move  with  impunity.  There  was  no  one  in 
the  passage  room,  but  there  was  not  a  moment  to  be 
lost;  the  housemaids,  he  knew,  would  be  coming  round 
almost  immediately  with  the  cans  of  hot  water  for  the 
niglit.  He  crossed  the  space  and  deliberately  entered 
the  green  room,  turning  on  the  light  as  he  did  so. 

He  hastily  looked  about  at  the  books — Yes,  she  had 
put  the  two  special  ones  by  her  bed.  And  "Abelard  and 
Heloise"  was  underneath ;  he  pulled  it  out  and  quickly 

342 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 


found  a  passage  he  wanted  and  with  his  gold  pen- 
cil he  scored  it  deeply  underneath,  and  putting  the 
volume  on  the  top  he  swiftly  left  the  room  and  was 
again  in  his  own,  and  on  his  way  to  the  white  draw- 
ing-room. The  whole  affair  had  not  taken  two  min- 
utes. And  with  the  knowledge  of  this  fact  accom- 
plished, he  looked  almost  serene  as  he  sat  down  by  a 
great  lady's  side  and  determinedly  avoided  looking  at 
Katherine. 

So  the  evening  passed  without  speech  between  them 
beyond  good-night,  and  Miss  Bush  retired  sorrowfully 
to  bed. 

But  she  could  not  sleep,  and  kept  on  the  light  to  read. 
There  were  "Eothen"  and  "Abelard  and  Heloise"  close 
to  her  side,  their  order  of  placing  reversed,  since  she 
had  left  them,  this  change  effected  by  the  housemaids, 
no  doubt.  And  the  love  letters  being  on  the  top,  she 
opened  them  first.  She  read  many  exquisite  thoughts, 
and  was  just  thinking  of  sleep  when  she  turned  a  page 
and  suddenly  sat  bolt  upright  in  bed,  for  this  is  what 
she  read: 

"I  wish  to  heaven  you  had  not  such  a  power  over 
me."     And  the  passage  was  deeply  underlined. 

Her  heart  beat  to  suffocation.  There  had  been  no 
such  mark  in  this  place  when  she  had  read  this  very 
r>age  before  dinner.  How  had  it  come  there.'' — ^\Vho — 
V7ho? — But  there  was  only  one  person  who  could  have 
done  such  a  thing — the  Duke ! 

She  bent  nearer  the  lamp  and  devoured  the  lines 
again,  and  then  she  passionately  kissed  the  words  and 
turned  out  the  light. 

Next  day,  Sunday,  a  number  of  the  party  went  to 
church,  their  host  among  them — but  Katherine  and 
Lady  Garribardine  did  not  accompany  them.     They 

343 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

were  seated  on  the  tennis  lawn  watching  a  game  when 
the  church-goers  joined  the  group. 

Three  magnificent  cedars  of  Lebanon  made  a  great: 
patch  of  shade,  and  here  the  chairs  were  placed.  The 
Duke  took  one  and  stretched  himself  on  it  as  though 
fatigued.  His  grey  felt  hat  was  tilted  over  his  eyes. 
He  made  a  pleasing  picture  of  length  of  limb  and 
grace  and  distinction — the  same  curious  emotion  crept 
over  Katherine  again  as  she  had  already  experienced — 
half  quiver,  half  shock — a  strong  desire  to  be  very  close 
to  him,  to  touch  him,  to  feci  herself  caressing  and  ca- 
ressed. His  hands  were  clasped  idly  upon  his  knee, 
and  his  voice  as  he  spoke  softly  to  a  lady  was  lazy  and 
complacent.  Oh !  how  extremely  bitter  the  whole  sit- 
uation was  proving  to  be! 

The  emerald  ring  seemed  to  flash  green  fire  as  a  tiny 
glint  of  sunlight  struck  it;  it  caught  the  atten- 
tion of  the  sprightly  dame  to  whom  His  Grace  was 
talking. 

"What  a  very  wonderful  ring  that  is  you  wear, 
Duke.     Has  it  a  history?" 

"Yes,  a  very  remarkable  one." 

Katherine  listened,  deeply  interested,  she  had  so  often 
wondered  about  this  ring,  too. 

"It  has  been  in  the  family  since  the  last  Crusade.  It 
came  back  with  the  tradition  attached  that  it  was  the 
famous  graven  emerald  seal  which  Theodorus  made 
for  Polycrates,  tyrant  of  Samos,  about  590  B.  C,  and 
wliich  was  in  vain  thrown  into  the  sea  to  be  lost!  It 
was  brought  back  to  Polycrates  in  the  body  of  a  fish 
next  day.  Such  exampled  luck  was  considered  to  be 
ominous  by  his  ally,  Amasis,  who  broke  off  all  alliance 
with  him  in  consctjuence.  And  truly  enough,  he  was 
not  long  after  murdered  from  jealousy  of  his  good  for- 

344 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 


tune!  The  ring  then  disappeared  and  was  supposed 
later  to  have  been  found  by  a  Roman  who  handed  it 
down  for  generations  until  it  somehow  got  back  into 
Greece,  and  when  wrecked  there  on  his  way  home  from 
Palestine,  the  Rievaulx  of  the  day  obtained  it  from 
its  owner,  how,  history  does  not  say,  and  it  has  always 
been  with  us  ever  since — a  strange  belief  attaching  to 
it — that  if  life  is  happy  it  must  not  be  worn,  but  that 
if  things  have  gone  ill  then  it  is  safe  to  wear  it  for  the 
rest  of  time." 

He  put  out  his  hand  for  the  lady  to  look  at  the  stone 
and  a  knot  of  interested  people  drew  near. 

"You  see,"  His  Grace  continued,  "it  is  deeply  graven 
with  a  lyre — and  sometimes  it  seems  to  be  dull  and 
sometimes  it  flashes  angrily." 

"Are  you  not  afraid  to  wear  it.''"  some  tactless  per- 
son said. 

The  Duke  replied  gravely — "Why  should  I  be?  I 
have  amply  fulfilled  all  the  conditions  attached,"  and 
then  the  company,  remembering  the  dark  and  ugly 
shadow  of  the  mad  Duchess,  which  had  hung  over  his 
life  for  so  many  years,  all  seemed  to  talk  at  once  and 
so  the  slightly  awkward  moment  passed. 

But  Katherine  thought  deeply  upon  the  subject  as 
she  sat  in  a  wicker  chair. 

Yes,  how  ill  his  life  had  gone,  and  he  was  now  fifty- 
three  years  old,  and  if  it  were  true  that  he  felt  enough 
to  have  taken  the  trouble  to  score  that  sentence  in  her 
book,  his  present  frame  of  mind  could  not  be  altogether 
happy  either,  and  she  sighed — why  was  happiness  so 
often  a  forbidden  fruit? 

For  a  second  before  lunch  she  happened  to  be  stand- 
ing near  him,  and  so  some  kind  of  words  were  necessary 
for  politeness'  sake. 

345 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

"I  hope  you  find  your  room  comfortable,  Miss  Bush, 
and  that  you  have  all  that  you  want." 

She  looked  straight  into  his  eyes,  and  there  was  a 
world  of  meaning  in  hers  as  she  answered. 

"Everything,  thank  you — and  I  am  especially  inter- 
ested in  the  books.  The  last  guest  who  slept  there  must 
have  taken  liberties  with  your  volumes  and  put  strange 
pencillings  under  some  of  the  paragraphs,  which  I  only 
discovered  last  night." 

"It  was  a  man  who  occupied  the  room  lately.  What 
presumption  he  showed !" 

"Yes,  I  wondered  if  you  knew  about  it,  the  most 
significant  marking  is  in  the  letters  of  'Abelard  and 
lieloise.'  The  scribbler  had  a  turn  for  sentiment,  it 
would  seem,  and  probablj-  was  suffering  from  halluci- 
nations as  to  his  own  state,  which  he  imagined  to  be  one 
of  subjection." 

"No,  he  was  a  level-headed  fellow,  who  was  not  par- 
ticularly happy,  though.  I  remember,  and  no  doubt  he 
found  solace  in  reading  about  the  despairing  passion  of 
those  two,  and  in  underlining  that  passage  which  re- 
cords Abelard's  rebellion  against  pain  so  like  his  own." 

Katherine  sighed.  "Happiness,  alas !  lies  in  the  hand 
only  of  the  very  strong,"  and  she  passed  on  to  another 
group. 

And  the  Duke  frowned  a  little  as  they  went  in  to 
lunch. 

Sir  John  Townly  came  over  in  the  afternoon,  as  he 
had  been  invited  to  do,  and  Lady  Garribardine  inti- 
mated to  her  secretary  that  now  she  must  take  this  in- 
cubus off  her  hands ;  so  Katherine  obediently  proposed 
a  stroll  round  the  wonderful  tulip  beds,  which  were  in 
full  bloom.  And  Mordryn  saw  them  go  off  together 
from  the  window  where  he  stood. 

346 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

"I  really  do  not  think  it  looks  so  ridiculous  after  all," 
Lady  Garribardine  remarked  to  him  reflectively,  com- 
placence in  her  tone.  "He  is  quite  a  fine  fi^re  of  a 
man  except  for  his  perfectly  bald  head,  and  that  does 
not  show  now  in  his  hat." 

The  Duke  made  an  exclamation  of  disgust. 

"Poor  Miss  Bush !" 

"I  do  hope  she  won't  be  foolish,  but  she  has  been  so 
odd  lately;  I  cannot  understand  these  girls." 

"Odd.?" 

"Yes — sad-looking  and  quiet — Of  course  I  would  not 
force  her  into  anything  she  did  not  like,  but  still.  Sir 
John  would  be  better  than  some  attractive  and  penni- 
less young  guardsman  with  nothing  to  off'er  but  love's 
young  dream. — There  are  one  or  two  who  come  over 
from  Windsor  who  rather  hang  about." 

"Oh!  yes,  certainly,"  emphatically  agreed  the  Duke, 
and  then  he  thought  of  another  sentence  in  that  book 
which  seemed  such  a  bond  between  them,  one  where 
Ahelard  wrote,  "What  a  comfort  I  felt  in  seeing  you 
shut  up !"  Yes,  to  marry  old  Sir  John  would  almost 
be  the  equivalent  of  a  convent.  But  not  quite !  There 
was  always  the  thought  that,  however  old,  he  would  still 
be  the  undisputed  possessor  of  this  most  desirable  piece 
of  womanhood !  His  would  be  the  right  to  clothe  and 
feed  her,  and  give  her  jewels.  His  to  hold  her  in  his 
arms.  The  realisation  of  all  this  was  maddening  to 
Mordryn,  for  he  no  longer  disguised  from  himself  that 
he  profoundly  desired  to  exercise  these  rights  himself. 
And  she  had  said  that  happiness  only  lay  in  the  hands 
of  the  Tery  strong. — Yes,  but  how  could  one  define 
strong.''  Strong  in  fidelity  to  tradition  and  family  and 
race  and  class.''  Or  strong  to  break  all  barriers  and 
seize  that  thing  a  man's  heart  cries  out  for  passion- 

S47 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

atcly,  his  mate,  his  soul's  and  his  body's  mate?  These 
were  problems  which  were  distressingly  agitating  to 
think  over,  and  distracted  his  mind  from  the  duties 
towards  guests. 

What  a  time  she  spent  in  pointing  out  those  tulips 
to  that  old  fool !  What  pompous  gallantry  his  attitude 
expressed !  Of  course  the  girl  must  be  bored  to  death. 
Why  had  she  been  "odd"  lately,  "quiet  and  sad"? 
Oh,  how  divine  it  would  be  to  go  off  to  the  Belvedere 
presently  and  see  the  sunset  from  over  there  bj  the 
lake,  and  ask  her  many  things,  and  then  as  they  looked 
on  the  water  from  the  marble  terrace,  if  the  falcon's 
eye  grew  sweet  again  and  soft,  to  read  dear  messages 
there,  and  fold  her  to  his  heart! 

She  was  so  subtle,  she  understood  every  shade  in 
anything  he  said,  they  had  the  same  tastes  and  the  same 
likings  in  books  and  art.  She  did  not  know  Italy  and 
France;  what  supreme  pleasure  to  wander  there,  and 
discover  their  manifold  beauties  to  her !  And  above 
all,  she  was  young  and  fresh  and  passionate — who  could 
doubt  it  who  looked  into  her  fair  face,  or  knew  any- 
thing about  type?  If  she  loved  him  she  would  never  be 
cold,  but  would  amply  repay  him  for  his  long  starva- 
tion and  abstinence  from  joy.  The  lonely  splendour 
of  Valfreyne  would  then  become  a  happy  home  filled 
with  interest  and  affection.  How  was  he  going  to  get 
through  another  twenty  years  of  dull  duty  after  his 
twenty-five  of  anguish  and  grief?  He  supposed  he 
might  live  to  be  eighty,  even,  the  Monluces  were  a  tena- 
cious race! 

Here  Lady  Garribardine  deemed  it  prudent  to  divert 
his  thoughts;  she  realised  that  the  moment  for  the  final 
good  which  would  draw  him  over  the  brink  into  happi- 
ness had  not  yet  come,  so  she  spoke  of  soothing  things, 

348 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

and  then  amused  him  and  coaxed  him  into  a  more  peace- 
ful state ;  only  again  to  see  him  restive  when  the  pair 
eventually  came  in  from  the  tulip  beds. 

Katherine  looked  tired  and  depressed,  but  Sir  John 
had  an  air  of  gratification  about  him  which  made 
Mordryn  feel  that  he  could  willingly  have  punched  his 
head ! 

His  good  manners  alone  enabled  him  to  bid  a  cordial 
farewell  to  the  poor  man  when  presently  he  left. 

The  sun  was  declining  and  the  colours  were  opal  over 
the  lake.  The  duties  of  host  to  so  many  charming 
ladies  restrained  the  Duke  and  he  had  the  mortification 
of  seeing  Katherine  and  another  girl  go  off  with  two 
of  the  young  men  in  two  canoes  on  the  topaz  waters, 
and  by  the  time  he  went  to  dress  he  was  almost  des- 
perate. 

Katherine  was  in  black  to-night,  and  a  red  rose  was 
in  her  belt.  Where  had  she  got  it  from.''  Had  that 
insupportable  young  Westonborough,  whom  she  had 
been  in  the  canoe  with,  given  it  to  her.''  Surely  Bilton 
held  not  been  so  remiss  as  not  to  have  seen  that  fresh 
lilies  were  put  in  the  green  room ! — But  perhaps  she 
preferred  the  red  rose ;  women  were  incredibly  fickle 
and  capricious ! 

Lady  Garribardine  perceived  the  expression  of  fierce- 
ness in  his  eyes,  and  so  contrived  that  even  a  single 
sentence  with  Katherine  was  impossible.  And  thus  the 
evening  passed  and  good-nights  were  said,  and  there 
remained  only  the  one  more  day! 


CHAPTER    XXX 

KATHERINE  read  "Abclard  and  Helolae"  far 
into   the  night.      Her  emotions   were  complex. 
She  knew  now  that  she  was  very  unhappj  and 
in  a  comer,  and  that  she  could  not  see  clearly  any  way 
of  escape.     If  she  attracted  the  Duke  further  it  would 
only  increase  the  complications. 

There  was  something  in  her  nature  which  she  feared 
was  not  strong  enough  to  carry  through  deceit.  Her 
great  power  had  always  lain  in  her  absolute  honesty, 
which  gave  her  that  inward  serenity  which  engenders 
the  most  supreme  self-confidence,  and  so  inevitably 
draws  the  thing  desired.  Her  mind  was  too  balanced, 
and  too  analytical  to  give  way  to  impulse  regardless 
of  cost,  which  in  such  a  situation  would  have  made  nine 
hundred  and  ninety-nine  women  out  of  a  thousand  grab 
at  the  chance  of  securing  Mordryn  upon  any  terms. 
Of  what  good  to  obtain  the  position  of  Duchess  if  it 
only  brought  a  haunting  unease?  Of  what  good  to  ob- 
tain the  love  of  this  true  and  splendid  gentleman  upon 
false  pretences?  She  could  then  enjoy  nothing  of  the 
results.  For  above  all  worldly  gains  she  was  well  aware 
that  to  keep  her  own  rigid  self-respect  mattered  to  her 
most.  If  his  character  had  been  less  worthy  of  rever- 
ence— if  she  had  not  grown  so  near  to  passionately 
loving  him — if  she  had  not  become  aware  of  the  impor- 
tance in  the  eyes  of  the  world  of  the  barrier  between 
them,  and  so  of  the  magnitude  of  the  offence  involved  in 
the  deceit,  she  would  have  played  her  game  to  a  finish 

S50 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

without  a  backward  thought ;  but  as  it  was  it  were  bet- 
ter frankly  to  give  it  up  and  perhaps  marry — Sir  John ! 
For  none  of  these  considerations,  she  felt,  came  into 
the  question  of  marrying  Sir  John.  He  was  old  and 
pompous  and  of  no  great  family.  She  would  be  giving 
more  than  she  received  in  bestowing  her  youth  and  her 
talents  and  her  company  upon  him.  She  did  not  love 
him,  therefore  whether  he  should  ever  look  upon  her 
with  scorn  or  no  was  a  matter  of  indifference  to  her — 
and  she  would  not  for  a  moment  have  dreamed  of  any 
obligation  to  reveal  that  episode  in  her  past  to  him, 
since  the  probabilities  were  so  very  remote  that  dis- 
covery could  ever  happen  and  therefore  her  silence 
would  in  no  way  injure  him.  It  would  be  merely  a  bar- 
gain in  which  an  old  man  bought  a  young  woman 
"as  she  stood,"  so  to  speak,  for  the  pleasure  of  his 
eye. 

But  the  Duke  of  Mordryn  was  different — between 
them  there  could  be  no  deceptions,  no  secrets,  there 
must  be  none  but  the  highest  things,  since  marriage 
with  him  would  mean  the  union  of  their  souls.  Kath- 
erine  was  far  from  being  altruistic  or  sentimental,  it 
was  only  the  strictly  common  sense  and  baldly  honest 
aspect  of  any  case  that  ever  influenced  her. 

The  temptation  was  overpowering,  of  course,  to 
brush  aside  moral  qualms. — To  think  of  reigning  in  this 
splendid  place ! — and  she  let  her  imagination  run  on — 
To  think  of  being  with  the  Duke  always — his  loved 
companion.  The  joy  to  make  him  very  happy,  and  do 
everything  he  wislied.  What  pains  she  would  take  to 
fulfil  his  highest  ideal  of  her — to  show  to  his  world  that 
whatever  she  had  sprung  from,  at  least  she  carried  off 
the  situation  of  Duchess  in  a  manner  in  which  they 
could  find  no  flaw.     She  would  be  gracious  and  sweet 

351 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

and  dignified  and  capable.  She  would  bring  all  her 
reasoning  to  bear  upon  all  problems.  She  would  let 
him  guide  and  direct  her,  and  she  would  carrj  out  hit 
least  behest. 

But  it  could  not  be.  She  had  made  an  initial  mis- 
take and  miscalculation  in  her  career  through  igno- 
rance of  possible  results,  and  she  could  never  shuffle 
out  of  it.  Self-deception  was  of  all  mental  attitudes 
the  one  she  despised  the  most.  She  must  face  the  conse- 
quence of  her  mistake  now  with  courage,  and  take  the 
second  best. 

Having  once  made  up  her  mind  in  the  early  dawn, 
it  was  not  in  her  nature  to  indulge  in  further  repining. 
She  as  resolutely  shut  out  the  image  of  the  Duke  and 
the  picture  of  happiness  with  him,  as  she  had  shut  out 
Lord  Algy.  Only  this  time  the  pain  was  infinitely  more 
bitter,  because  she  knew  that  she  was  obliged  to  refrain 
from  sipping  this  glorious  cup  because  of  her  own  mis- 
calculation. Whereas  when  she  parted  from  Lord  Algy 
she  had  had  the  moral  elation  of  knowing  that  she  was 
doing  rather  a  fine  thing. 

Extreme  pallor  showed  in  her  face  in  the  morning, 
and  her  great  eyes  were  shadowed  and  sad.  She  re- 
mained in  the  ante-chamber  at  the  writing-table  which 
had  been  prepared  for  her,  after  she  had  breakfasted 
with  Lady  Garribardine  in  her  sitting-room.  Numbers 
of  letters  had  come  by  the  Sunday's  post,  and  she  made 
it  seem  necessary  to  answer  them  at  once. 

Her  mistress  allowed  her  to  have  her  way.  She  felt 
some  strong  underneath  currents  were  affecting  the  girl, 
and  further  tantalization  would  not  be  bad  for  the 
Duke.  So  she  left  her  at  the  writing-table  and  joined 
the  rest  of  the  party  under  the  cedar  trees  on  the  ten- 
nis lawn,  and  did  not  mention  Katherine  or  her  where- 

352 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

abouts.  If  Mordryn  wanted  to  know  why  she  had  not 
come  out,  or  where  she  was,  he  must  pluck  up  courage 
to  ask  himself. 

The  Duke  glanced  at  her  enquiringly,  but  he  said 
nothing — perhaps  Katherine  would  follow  presently — 
but  could  she  have  gone  again  on  the  lake  with  Lady 
Alethea  and  those  empty-headed  young  men?  He  would 
not  ask,  he  would  go  himself  and  see. 

So  when  he  had  disposed  of  his  important  guests, 
he  went  to  his  own  sitting-room  from  which  there  was 
a  complete  view  of  the  waterways,  and  then  he  took 
the  trouble  to  get  out  his  glasses  and  scan  the  occu- 
pants of  the  boats. 

No,  she  was  not  among  them. 

She  must  then  either  be  still  in  her  bedroom — or  writ- 
ing perhaps  in  front  of  the  window  of  the  passage  place 
which  was  next  this  very  room! 

He  would  go  out  on  the  terrace  from  one  of  the  win- 
dows and  look  in. 

Yes — she  was  there  seated  at  the  table  very  busy,  it 
appeared. 

He  came  forward  and  stepping  across  the  threshold, 
he  stood  beside  her. 

*'Good  morning,  Miss  Bush. — it  is  quite  wrong  for 
you  to  be  working  on  this  glorious  day.  You  must 
come  out  into  the  sunshine  with  the  rest  of  us." 

Katherine  did  not  rise  or  appear  to  be  going  to  fol- 
low his  suggestion,  so  he  added  authoritatively: 

"Now  be  a  good  girl  and  go  and  get  your  hat." 

"I  am  very  sorry  I  cannot  before  lunch ;  I  have  much 
work  to  do,  and  it  becomes  disorganised  if  I  leave  it 
unfinished." 

"Nonsense !  You  did  not  come  to  Valfreyne  to  work. 
There  are  such  a  number  of  things  I  want  to  show  you. 

353 


THE  CABEEJR  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

Everyone  is  out  in  the  garden,  won't  you  at  least  corae 
round  the  state  rooms  with  me?" 

How  could  she  refuse  him?  He  was  her  host  and  the 
pleasure  would  be  so  intense.  She  rose,  but  without 
alacrity  and  answered  a  little  stiffly : 

"I  should  much  like  to  see  them — if  it  will  not  take 
very  long." 

Her  manner  was  distinctly  different,  he  noticed  it 
at  once — a  curtain  seemed  to  have  fallen  between  them 
ever  since  the  conversation  about  the  pencillings  in  the 
book.  It  chilled  him  and  made  him  determined  to  re- 
move it. 

He  held  the  door  into  his  sitting-room  open  for  her, 
and  took  pains  to  keep  the  conversation  upon  the 
ostensible  reason  for  their  voyage  of  inspection.  He 
spoke  of  carving  and  dates,  and  told  her  anecdotes  of 
the  building  of  Valfreyne.  And  so  they  passed  on 
through  all  the  splendid  rooms,  "The  King's  Cham- 
ber," and  "The  Queen's  Closet," — and  the  salons  and 
so  to  the  great  state  suite  of  her  who  should  be  reign- 
ing Duchess. 

And  Katherine  saw  priceless  gems  of  art  and  splen- 
dour of  gilding  and  tapestry,  and  hangings,  and  great 
ghostly  beds  surmounted  with  nodding  ostrich  plumes. 
And  stuffs  from  Venice  and  Lyons — and  even  Spital- 
fields. 

"How  wonderful !"  she  said  at  last — "And  there  are 
many  other  places  such  as  this  in  England !  How 
great  and  rich  a  country  it  is.  We — the  middle  class 
population — shut  in  with  our  narrow  parochial  views 
— do  not  realise  it  at  all,  or  we  would  be  very  proud 
of  our  race  owning  such  glorious  things,  and  would  not 
want  to  encourage  stupid  paltry  politicians  to  destroy 
and  dissipate  them  all,  and  scatter  them  to  the  winds." 

354 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

"It  may  seem  hard  in  their  view  that  one  man  should 
possess,  we  will  say,  Valfrcyne." 

"But  how  stupid!  How  could  it  all  have  been  ac- 
cumulated, but  for  individual  wealth  and  taste  and  tra- 
dition? Who  really  cares  for  museums  except  to  study 
examples  in?  Do  you  know,  for  instance,  such  people 
as  my  sisters  would  a  thousand  times  rather  walk 
through  these  rooms  on  a  day  when  the  public  is  let 
in,  feeling  it  was  a  house  owned  by  people  who  really 
lived  there,  than  go  to  any  place  given  to  the  nation, 
like  Hampton  Court  or  the  Wallace  Collection.'* 

"That  is  the  human  interest  in  the  thing." 

"Yes,  but  the  human  and  the  personal  are  the  strong- 
est and  most  binding  of  all  interests." 

Mordryn  looked  at  her  appreciatively — he  delighted 
in  hearing  her  views. 

"Then  you  have  no  feeling  that  you  wish  all  this  to 
be  divided  up  among  the  people  of  Lulworth,  say — the 
large  town  near?" 

"Oh !  no,  no !  So  strongly  do  I  feel  for  the  law  by 
which  all  goes  to  the  eldest  son,  that  were  I  a  younger 
one,  I  would  willingly  give  up  my  share  to  ensure  the 
family  continuing  great.  Who  that  can  see  clearly 
would  not  rather  be  a  younger  son  of  a  splendid  house, 
than  a  little,  ridiculous  nobody  on  his  own  account, — 
if  everything  were  to  be  divided  up." 

"It  is  so  very  strange  that  you  should  have  this 
spirit.  Miss  Bush.  If  you  had  not  told  me  of  your 
parentage  I  should  have  said  you  were  of  the  same  root 
and  branch  as  Lady  Garribardine.  Are  you  sure  you 
are  not  a  changeling?" 

"Quite  sure.  How  proud  it  must  make  you  feel 
to  own  Valfreyne,  and  what  obligations  it  must  en- 
tail !" 

S55 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

"Yes,"  and  he  sighed. 

*'It  must  make  you  weigh  ererj  action  to  see  if  it  is 
worthy  of  one  who  must  be  an  example  for  so  manj 
people." 

"That  is  how  you  look  upon  great  position — it  is  a 
noble  way." 

"Why,  of  course — it  could  not  be  right  to  hold  all 
this  in  trust  for  your  descendants,  and  for  the  glory  of 
England,  and  then  to  think  yourself  free  to  squander 
it,  and  degrade  the  standard.  All  feeling  would  hare 
to  give  way  to  worthily  fulfilling  your  trust." 

The  Duke  felt  his  heart  sink — a  strange  feeling  of 
depression  came  over  him. 

"I  suppose  you  are  right,"  and  he  sighed  again. 

"I  was  so  much  interested  in  the  story  of  your  ring," 
she  said  presently,  to  lift  the  silence  which  had  fallen 
upon  them  both.  "It  is  such  a  strange  idea  that  great 
good  fortune  is  unlucky — since  we  always  draw  what 
we  deserve.  If  we  are  foolish  and  draw  misfortune  at 
the  beginning  of  our  lives,  we  must  of  course  pay  the 
price,  but  if  people's  brains  are  properly  balanced  thej 
should  not  fear  good  fortune  in  itself." 

"You  think  then  that  a  whole  life  need  not  be 
shadowed  with  misery,  but  that  if  the  price  of  folly  is 
paid  in  youth,  there  may  still  be  a  chance  of  a  happy 
old  age.?" 

"Of  course — One  must  be  quite  true,  that  is  all,  and 
never  deceive  anyone  who  trusts  one." 

"That  would  mean  living  in  a  palace  of  truth  and 
would  be  impracticable." 

"Not  at  all.  There  are  some  things  people  have  no 
right  to  ask  or  to  be  told — some  things  one  must  keep 
to  oneself  for  the  carrying  on  of  life — but  if  a  person 
has  a  right  to  know,  and  trusts  you  and  you  deceive 

356 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

him,  then  you  must  take  the  consequences  of  unhappl- 
ness  which  is  the  reflex  action  of  untruth." 

"How  wise  you  are,  child — that  is  the  whole  mean- 
ing of  honour,  'To  thine  own  self  be  true  and  it  must 
follow  as  the  night  the  day.  Thou  canst  mot  then  be 
false  to  any  man.'  " 

She  looked  straight  up  into  his  eyes,  hers  were  pure 
and  deep  and  sorrowful. 

"Now  I  have  seen  your  beautiful  home  I  must  go 
back  to  my  work — I  shall  always  remember  this  visit, 
and  this  happy  morning — all  my  life." 

Mordryn  was  deeply  moved,  passionate  emotion  was 
coursing  through  him — with  great  difficulty  he  re- 
strained the  words  which  rose  to  his  lips.  He  did  not 
seek  to  detain  her,  and  they  retraced  their  steps,  speak- 
ing httle  by  the  way,  until  they  came  to  his  sitting- 
room. 

"When  you  go  to-morrow,  will  you  take  with  you 
the  *Eothen'  and  the  'Abelard  and  Heloise.''*  I  would 
like  to  know  that  you  read  them  sometimes  and  there 
is  one  passage  in  Ahelard's  first  letter  which  I  know 
I  shall  have  to  quote  to  myself — It  is  on  the  fifty- 
fourth  page,  the  bottom  paragraph— you  must  look  at 
it  some  time — " 

Then  his  voice  broke  a  little — "And  now  let  us  say 
good-bye — here  in  my  room." 

"Good-bye,"  said  Katherine  and  held  out  her  hand. 

The  Duke  took  it  and  with  it  drew  her  near  to  him. 

"Good-bye — Beloved,"  he  whispered,  and  his  tones 
were  hoarse,  and  then  he  dropped  her  hand ;  and  Kath- 
erine gave  a  little  sob,  and  turning,  ran  from  the  room, 
leaving  him  with  his  proud  head  bent,  and  tears  in  his 
dark  blue  eyes. 

And  she  made  herself  return  to  her  work — nor  would 
357 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

she  permit  her  thoughts  to  dwell  for  an  instant  upon 
the  events  of  the  morning,  or  the  words  of  the  Duke — 
for  she  knew  that  if  she  did  so  she  would  lose  control 
of  herself  and  foolishly  burst  into  tears.  And  there 
was  lunch  to  be  endured,  and  the  afternoon  and 
evening. 

So  this  was  the  end — he  loved  her,  but  his  ideas  of 
principle  held. — And  if  she  was  only  a  common  girl 
and  so  debarred  from  being  a  Duchess — the  Duke 
should  see  that  no  aristocrat  of  his  own  class  could  be 
more  game. 

Lady  Garribardine  found  her  still  writing  diligentlj 
when  she  came  in  just  before  luncheon  would  be  an- 
nounced, and  she  wondered  what  made  the  girl  look 
so  pale. 

"It  is  quite  too  bad  that  you  have  sat  here  all  this 
time,"  she  exclaimed.  "I  won't  have  you  bother  with 
another  word.  This  was  to  be  your  holiday  and  your 
amusement,  this  visit  to  Valfreyne,  and  you  have  been 
cooped  up  in  the  house  working  as  if  at  home." 

The  Duke  looked  extremely  stern  at  luncheon  and 
was  punctiliously  polite  to  everyone,  but  those  in  his 
immediate  vicinity  were  conscious  that  a  stiffness  had 
fallen  upon  the  atmosphere  which  aspliyxiated  conver- 
sation. 

Lady  Garribardine  was  well  acquainted  with  the 
signs  of  all  his  moods.  This  one,  she  knew,  resulted 
from  pain  of  some  sort,  and  mental  perturbation.  What 
had  occurred  between  him  and  Katherine.''  Could  they 
have  quarrelled.'*  This  must  be  ascertained  at  the 
earliest  possible  moment. 

After  luncheon  they  were  all  to  motor  to  an  old  castle 
for  a  picnic  tea,  a  beautiful  ruin  of  a  former  habitation 
of  the  Monluces  about  five  miles  away. 

8.58 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATIIERINE  BUSH 

Katherine  should  go  with  the  younger  people,  and 
she  should  have  the  Duke  to  herself. 

His  manner  was  certainly  preoccupied,  and  he  spoke 
only  of  ordinary  things  as  they  went  through  the  park. 

"The  party  has  been  the  greatest  success,  Mordryn. 
Are  you  pleased?     Everyone  has  enjoyed  it.** 

"Yes,  I  suppose  it  has  been  all  right,  thanks  to  your 
admirable  qualities  as  hostess,  dear  friend.  But  how 
irksome  I  find  all  parties!  I  have  been  too  long  away 
from  the  world." 

"I  thought  you  seemed  so  cheery,  Mordryn,  yes- 
terday, but  to-day  you  look  as  glum  as  a  church.  You 
must  shake  yourself  up,  nothing  is  so  foolish  as  giving 
way  to  these  acquired  habits  of  solitude  and  separa- 
tion from  your  kind." 

*'I  am  growing  old.  Seraphim." 

"Stuff  and  nonsense!"  Her  Ladyship  cried.  **You 
have  never  looked  more  vigorous — or  more  attractive, 
and  you  are  not  subject  to  liver  attacks  or  the  gout — 
so  you  have  no  excuse  in  the  world  for  this  doleful  point 
of  view." 

"Perhaps  not — It  is  stupid  to  want  the  moon.* 

"There  are  no  such  things  as  moons  for  Dukes ;  they 
are  always  lamps  which  can  be  secured  in  the  hand." 

"Not  without  fear  of  combustion  or  fusing  as  the 
case  might  be." 

"Nothing  venture  nothing  have.  No  man  ought  to 
sit  down  and  abandon  his  moon  chase — if  he  wants  it 
badly  enough  he  will  get  it." 

"In  spite  of  his  conscience.''" 

Her  Ladyship  looked  at  him  shrewdly — now  was  a 
moment  for  indicating  her  sentiments  she  felt — he  might 
understand  her  as  he  so  pleased. 

"No,    never    in    spite    of    his    conscience,    but    in 

S59 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

spite  of  custom  or  tradition  or  anj  other  man-made 
barrier." 

But  although  the  Duke  found  much  comfort  in  her 
words,  he  was  not  easily  influenced  by  anyone  and 
the  torrent  of  his  passion  had  not  yet  reached  the  flood- 
gates, and  was  restrained  by  his  will.  So  he  turned 
the  conversation  and  endeavoured  to  be  cheerful.  And 
Seraphim  saw  that  for  the  moment  she  must  leave 
things  to  fate. 

Katherine  looked  quite  lovely  at  tea.  Her  new  air 
of  rather  pensive  gentleness  suited  her  well.  She 
showed  perfect  composure,  there  was  no  trace  of  nerv- 
ousness or  self-consciousness  in  her  manner,  only  her 
eyes  were  sad. 

What  dignity,  the  Duke  thought  as  he  watched,  her 
conduct  and  attitude  during  the  whole  visit  had  shown! 
He  knew  it  must  have  been  a  moment  of  exceptional 
excitement  to  her  to  come  there  among  his  and  Lady 
Garribardine's  friends,  as  one  of  them,  and  yet  not  for 
a  second  had  she  shown  anything  but  composure  and 
ease,  talking  with  quiet  politeness  to  whoever  addressed 
her,  neither  with  subservience  nor  with  expansiveness, 
but  with  exactly  the  consideration  which  so  becomes  a 
great  lady,  even  if  she  is  but  a  girl.  He  looked  at  her 
again  and  again,  and  could  find  only  something  further 
to  respect  and  admire. 

He  wondered  how  much  she  was  feeling?  What  had 
that  little  sob  meant?  Pain  as  well  as  understanding 
assuredly.  Was  she,  too,  longing  secretly  to  be  taken 
into  his  arms — as  with  every  fibre  of  his  being  he  was 
burning  with  desire  to  hold  her?  Or  did  she  not  really 
care,  and  was  the  attention  of  young  Westonborough 
enough  to  divert  her — and  would  she  eventually  marrj 
Sir  John? 

360 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

This  last  thought  was  disgusting!  but  His  Grace  of 
Mordryn  had  not  the  type  of  mind  like  that  of  Gerard 
Strobridge,  to  take  comfort  in  the  thought  that  if  she 
did  so,  his  own  chance  of  future  joy  would  be  the  great- 
er. No  touch  of  anything  but  reverence  was  in  his 
heart  towards  Kathcrine. 

And  so  the  afternoon  passed  with  much  suffering  in 
two  souls,  and  the  rainbow  tints  of  the  evening  came 
over  the  sky.  The  chestnut  trees  were  the  softest  fresh 
green,  and  the  oaks  only  just  out.  Copper  beeches 
and  limes  and  firs  all  added  to  the  beauty  of  tint.  And 
young  birds  were  twittering  their  good-nights;  the 
whole  world  was  full  of  love,  and  springtime  promise  of 

joy- 

And  Mordryn  battled  with  himself  and  banished 
temptation,  and  had  his  sitting-room  blinds  drawn  im- 
mediately to  hide  all  these  sweet  things  of  nature,  when 
they  returned,  and  stayed  alone  there  until  it  was  time 
to  dress  for  dinner,  saying  he  had  important  letters 
to  write. 

But  all  the  while  he  was  conscious  that  just  beyond 
that  door  and  that  passage,  there  was  a  woman  who 
seemed  to  matter  to  him  more  than  anything  else  in 
life! 

The  whole  afternoon  had  been  such  a  wretched 
tantalization.  A  long  duty  when  he  had  spoken  as  an 
automaton  to  boring  guests.  He  had  not  sought  to 
talk  to  Katherine ;  that  good-bye  in  the  morning  had 
been  final,  there  could  be  no  anticlimax,  that  would 
make  it  all  futile. 

And  she  had  understood,  she  had  realised  his  motive 
— this  he  knew  and  felt,  but  took  no  comfort  from  the 
thought. 

And  Katherine,  with  half  an  hour  to  herself,  looked 

861 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

for  and  found  that  passage  on  page  fifty-four  of  "Abe- 
lard  and  Heloise"  and  she  read: 

I  remove  to  a  distance  from  your  person  with  an  inten- 
tion of  avoiding  you  as  an  enemy.  And  yet  I  incessantly 
seek  for  you  in  my  mind — I  recall  your  image  in  my 
memory  and  in  such  different  disquietudes  I  betray  and 
contradict  myself. — I  hate  you! — I  love  you!  Shame 
presses  me  on  all  sides.  I  am  at  this  moment  afraid  I 
should  seem  more  indifferent  than  you  are,  and  yet  I  am 
asliamed  to  discover  my  trouble. 

Well — if  he  felt  like  that — what  could  be  the  end? 


CHAPTER    XXXI 

LONDON  seemed  very  noisy  and  tumultuous  to 
Katherine  when  they  returned  to  Berkeley 
Square,  and  the  routine  of  her  work  came  al- 
most as  a  relief. 

What  would  be  the  outcome  of  this  visit  to  Val- 
freyne?  She  could  not  guess.  That  the  Duke  loved 
her  she  knew — but  with  what  kind  of  lovcf*  With  an 
almighty  passion  which  one  day  would  break  all  bar- 
riers and  seek  for  fulfilment.''  Oh  with  a  restrained 
emotion  which,  when  the  temptation  of  her  presence 
was  removed,  would  settle  down.''  But  of  what  matter 
really  whether  he  loved  her  with  the  one  or  the  other, 
since  both  were  equally  forbidden  and  useless ! 

And  she? — What  were  her  feelings?  She  knew  in 
her  heart  that  if  she  were  to  permit  herself  to  indulge 
in  natural  emotion,  she  could  shower  upon  him  a  love 
that  in  its  white  heat  of  devotion  and  passion  would 
make  that  which  she  had  formerly  given  to  Lord  Algy 
appear  but  a  puny  schoolgirl  thing. 

She  must  not  give  way  to  any  such  feelings,  though; 
the  pain  was  quite  bitter  enough  as  it  was — and  nothing 
but  stern  discipline  of  mind  and  an  iron  self-control 
could  make  it  bearable  at  all. 

She  felt  restless  during  that  week — on  tenterhooks 
to  know  if  she  should  see  the  Duke;  hot  and  cold  as 
she  went  into  a  room.  But  he  did  not  come  and  she 
heard  casually  that  he  was  still  at  Valfreyne.  And 
on  Saturday  morning  they  went  down  to  Blissington 

363 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

until  the  Monday  afternoon,  as  was  their  custom  at 
each  week-end. 

Lady  Garribardine  watched  Katharine  critically  and 
knew  that  she  was  suffering,  and  so  she  was  unusually 
kind  and  witty  and  sarcastic,  and  acted  as  a  tonic. 
She  had  a  shrewd  way  of  looking  at  men  and  things 
which  always  delighted  Katherine,  and  they  seemed  to 
grow  closer  friends  than  ever. 

"You  are  a  great  comfort  to  me,  girl,"  she  said.  "I 
can  talk  to  you  and  air  all  my  notions  as  I  could  to  a 
man — and  you  do  not  answer  upon  another  subject. 
For  you  know,  my  dear,  that  if  the  basis  of  your  argu- 
ment with  nine  women  out  of  ten  happens  to  be  that  the 
sea  is  salt,  they  will  reply  that  on  the  contrary  the 
moon  is  made  of  green  cheese !  You  mildly  protest  that 
it  is  the  taste  of  the  sea,  not  the  composition  of  the 
moon  which  is  in  question,  and  then  they  say  they 
totally  disagree  with  you  and  that  the  sun  is  warm! 
You  are  done ! — There  is  nothing  left  for  you  but  to 
smile  and  talk  of  clothes !" 

Katherine  laughed  delightedly.  How  well  she  knew 
this  style  of  argument!  Matilda  had  always  prac- 
tised it. 

"I  believe  I  owe  to  my  dear  lady  the  faculty  of  see- 
ing a  little  differently." 

"Not  at  all ! — You  always  were  as  sharp  as  a  needle. 
I  may  merely  have  encouraged  3'ou  perhaps." 

"It  is  through  your  kindness  and  sympathy  that  I 
have  emerged  and  broken  away  from  the  stultifying 
bonds  of  my  class.  Oh !  if  you  only  knew  how  deep  is 
my  gratitude !" 

She  was  very  seldom  moved  like  this,  and  Lady  Garri- 
bardine looked  at  her  closely. 

"Tut,  tut,  child — you  were  made  for  great  things, 
364) 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

and  it  is  because  I  realised  this  at  once,  almost,  that 
I  have  sympathised  with  you.  I  could  not  have  kept 
you  back  any  more  than  I  could  have  created  qualities 
in  3'ou.  I  could  merely  have  delayed  your  upward  prog- 
ress or,  as  I  hope  I  have  done,  advanced  it.  The  spirit 
in  you  is  God-given  and  I  have  nothing  to  do  with  it." 

Katherine's  eyes  softened  with  love  and  reverence! 
Her  dear,  dear  friend  and  benefactress ! 

When  she  was  alone.  Lady  Garribardine  thought 
(deeply  over  everything,  their  respect  and  affection  were 
mutual.  It  troubled  her  a  little  to  see  the  girl  so  quiet 
■ — Mordryn  had  played  quite  fairly,  she  hoped — but 
jes — he  could  never  do  otherwise.  She  guessed  what 
was  the  reason  of  the  estrangement — if  estrangement 
there  was — on  his  side,  and  it  caused  her  no  permanent 
concern. 

"When  a  man  feels  as  Mordryn  feels,  no  class  preju- 
dice in  the  world  will  keep  him  from  the  woman  in  the 
end !  Only  let  him  suffer  enough  and  then  give  them 
an  opportunity  to  meet,  and  all  will  be  well !" 

Thus  she  mused — And  what  a  weight  off  her  mind 
it  would  be  to  see  them  happily  married !  So  that  her 
conscience  might  be  at  rest,  and  she  could  feel  that 
she  had  more  than  made  up  for  her  action  of  long  ago. 
Yes — Katherine  Bush  was  a  peerless  creature,  and 
would  be  the  brightest  jewel  in  any  crown.  Not  a  trace 
of  the  jealousy  or  antagonism,  which  once  or  twice  for 
the  fraction  of  a  second  had  sprung  up  from  natural 
hereditary  instinct  and  class  prejudice,  remained  in 
her  heart.  Her  clear  and  wise  judgment  had  sifted 
and  weighed  all  the  pros  and  cons.  No  two  human 
beings  on  earth  were  more  suited  to  one  another  than 
her  humble  secretary  from  Bindon's  Green  and  this 
great  nobleman.    And  she  could  launch  Katherine  suc- 

365 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

cessfully,  and  make  her  accepted  without  question.  And 
after  the  marriage,  she  could  safely  leave  to  the  girl's 
own  superb  tact  and  common  sense  the  task  of  main- 
taining the  position  of  Duchess  with  illustrious  dis- 
tinction. So  that  the  only  barrier  left  to  be  overcome 
was  Mordryn's  tiresome  prejudice  about  class.  That 
most  annoyingly  obstinate  sense  of  duty,  and  noblesse 
oblige — duty  to  his  rank  and  to  his  race.  But  his  mind 
was  not  narrow,  and  once  he  could  have  time  freely  to 
think  out  what  real  nobility  meant,  he  would  realise 
that  highness  of  birth  was  not  essential  at  all. 

Lady  Garribardine  knew  the  Duke's  nature  so  well; 
she  was  aware  that  if  she  spoke  to  him  upon  this  sub- 
ject and  sought  to  influence  him  more  than  her  speech 
at  the  picnic  had  already  done,  his  desire  being  so 
forcibly  upon  her  side,  he  would  then  still  more  deter- 
minedly make  up  his  mind  not  to  be  convinced  from 
the  fear  that  he  was  allowing  inclination  to  weaken  his 
sense  of  duty. 

To  leave  fate  to  manage  matters  was  the  best  plan, 
and  to  be  ready  to  give  a  helping  hand  at  the  critical 
moment. 

Mordryn  was  certainly  suffering  deeply  or  he  would 
have  returned  to  London,  instead  of  staying  on  at 
Valfrcyne. 

Not  by  word  or  insinuation  did  she  ever  indicate  to 
Kathcrine  tliat  she  had  remarked  the  Duke's  interest  in 
her,  or  the  apparent  cooling  of  it.  Indeed,  since  that 
day  at  the  Easter  party  when  she  had  lightly  spoken 
of  his  coming  to  the  schoolroom,  she  had  never  men- 
tioned liini  to  lier  secretary  in  connection  with  herself 
at  all.  So  on  the  surface  everything  was  calm  and 
peaceful,  and  life  flowed  in  its  accustomed  stream. 

Alordryn  must  be  made  to  come  to  Berkeley  Square 

366 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 


again  as  of  old,  and  he  must  not  be  allowed  to  see  Kath- 
erine  for  some  time.  He  must  get  into  the  way  of  drop- 
ping in  as  usual  without  fear. 

And  in  the  third  week  after  Whitsuntide,  the  Duke 
returned  to  town  and  did  dine  there,  and  Miss  Bush 
was  nowhere  to  be  seen.  He  had  spent  very  miserable 
da3's  down  in  his  beautiful  home.  He  had  not  reached 
the  stage  of  reason  yet,  he  was  merely  fighting  desire 
with  all  his  might — while  daily  it  grew  stronger. 

How  cold  her  hand  had  been  when  they  had  said  a 
polite  good-bye  on  the  Tuesday  morning;  he  could  feel 
it  through  the  glove !  How  pale  her  face  had  looked, 
too!  He  hoped  to  God  she  was  not  suffering;  that 
would  be  too  cruel,  and  he  could  not  feel  guiltless  if  it 
were  so.  He  had  certainly  played  upon  her  feelings, 
although  in  the  most  subtle  manner,  which  made  his 
conduct  the  more  cowardly  and  inexcusable.  This 
thought  brought  extreme  discomfort,  and  plunged  him 
into  frantic  work.  He  filled  all  his  hours  with  the  busi- 
ness of  his  estate,  in  order  to  banish  memory,  but  with 
no  great  success,  so  at  last  he  came  up  to  London,  de- 
termined to  crush  out  every  weakness.  But  when  he 
went  to  Berkeley  Square  to  dine  he  felt  agitated,  and 
he  knew  that  he  was  fearing  and  yet  hoping  to  see 
Katherine. 

But  he  caught  no  glimpse  of  her,  nor  was  she  even 
mentioned,  it  was  as  though  she  had  never  been.  He 
grew  anxious — had  she  left  Seraphim's  service?  This 
must  be  ascertained  immediately,  before  he  left  the 
house. 

"Miss  Bush  is  not  dining  to-night,  Seraphim?"  he 
said,  after  dinner,  when  he  had  a  moment  with  his 
hostess.     "I  hope  she  is  well?" 

"Yes,  thanks,"  and  Her  Ladyship  turned  the  con- 
367 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

versation  at  once,  so  that  he  was  left  with  this  meagre 
information. 

As  he  drove  away  to  St.  James's,  he  found  himself 
thinking  incessantly  of  the  girl. 

She  had  understood.  She  was  so  fine,  she  had  grasped 
the  situation  completely — had  she  not  herself  explained 
to  him  the  duty  he  owed  to  his  race.^* 

But  a  woman  who  could  take  such  an  abstract  view 
must  surely  have  a  very  wonderful  soul!  Every  one 
of  her  ideas  had  shown  the  highest  sense  of  duty,  the 
most  profound  grasp  of  what  was  meant  by  noblesse 
oblige.  He  remembered  even  her  remark  about  his  at- 
tending the  House  of  Lords,  how  she  had  said  it  was 
cowardly  of  him  to  shirk  his  work  there  just  because 
he  so  despised  modern  views.  In  what  high  esteem,  too, 
she  was  held  by  Seraphim — a  woman  not  to  be  imposed 
upon  by  any  mere  charm,  and  one  who  would  bring  the 
most  critical  judgment  to  bear  upon  every  question 
before  she  would  accord  her  friendship. — ^And  that 
Katherine  had  Lady  Garribardine's  friendship  in  full, 
he  knew. 

He  went  into  his  library  which  looked  out  on  the 
Green  Park,  and  he  opened  the  window  side  and  walked 
on  to  the  terrace.  In  the  distance  the  roar  of  Picca- 
dilly thundered  by,  but  his  immediate  neighbourhood 
was  quiet  and  he  could  think. 

He  reviewed  every  minute  incident  from  the  beginning 
of  his  acquaintance  with  Katherine  that  night  not  so 
very  long  ago  at  the  house  of  Gerard  Strobridge.  She 
had  admitted  that  it  was  she  herself  who  had  desired 
this  meeting  after  she  had  heard  him  speak.  That 
proved  tliat  she  had  been  drawn  to  him  even  then.  And 
how  attractive  she  had  appeared,  how  cultivated  and 
polished,  how  clever  and  refined!     And  to  think  that 

368 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

such  achievement  ^ras  the  result  of  steadfastness  of 
purpose !  A  will  to  compass  an  ideal  against  extraor- 
dinary odds.  An  intelligence  great  enough  to  realise 
that  facts  alone  count,  and  that  no  assumption  of  the 
rights  of  ladyhood,  or  demonstration  in  words,  would 
convince  anyone,  but  only  the  inward  reality  of  fine- 
ness of  soul  directing  outward  action.  How  much  more 
meritorious  and  to  be  respected  was  her  achievement 
then  than  if  these  things  had  been  her  natural  herit- 
age! She  had  obtained  a  state  of  perfection  through 
deliberate  intention  in  a  far  greater  degree  than  any- 
one he  knew  but  Seraphim.  Her  every  idea,  thought, 
expression  and  point  of  view,  accorded  exactly  with 
his  own.  Her  sense  of  duty  was  paramount.  Her 
level-headedness,  and  her  common  sense,  and  her  bal- 
ance were  such  as  he  had  never  before  seen  in  woman. 

And  she  was  young  and  beautiful,  and  in  perfect 
health.  No  nervous  fancies  beset  that  evenly  poised 
brain. 

Suddenly,  as  he  stared  up  into  the  deep  blue  starlit 
sky,  it  seemed  that  the  scales  fell  from  his  eyes,  and 
fog  was  lifted  from  his  inner  vision  of  the  soul. 

This  beloved  creature — daughter  of  an  auctioneer 
and  granddaughter  of  a  butcher — was  truly  and  really 
an  aristocrat  in  the  purest  and  truest  sense  of  the 
term.  And  just  because  he  could  trace  his  pedigree 
back  for  countless  generations,  who  was  he  to  stand 
aside  and  not  give  her  her  due  when  her  spirit  and 
character  were  so  infinitely  above  him.''  (Thus  love 
engenders  humility  in  noble  hearts!) 

Where  in  the  whole  world  could  he  find  one  so  worthy 
to  share  his  great  name  and  great  estate?  He  laughed 
aloud  in  glee!  It  would  not  be  giving  way  to  tempta- 
tion for  personal  joy  to  think  of  her  as  his  Duchess, 

369 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

but  it  would  be  conferring  the  greatest  honour  upon 
his  house  that  it  had  ever  known. 

He  marvelled  at  his  blindness — marvelled  at  his 
pitifully  conventional  point  of  view.  How  had  it  ever 
weighed  with  him  a  second?  How  had  he  not  realised 
at  once  the  utter  paltriness  of  the  designation  of  aris- 
tocrat unless  the  inner  being  carries  out  what  that  word 
is  intended  to  convey.? 

He  thought  of  his  wife  Laura,  with  her  stupid,  mean 
little  brain,  developing  into  madness.  He  thought  of 
Gerard's  wife  Beatrice — of  what  use  was  she  to  any 
man?  He  thought  of  his  own  cousin,  Dulcie  Dashing- 
ton,  with  her  vulgar  barmaid's  instincts,  and  her  degra- 
dation of  her  great  state,  and  he  thought  of  all  the 
crew  of  frivolous,  soulless,  mindless  worldings  who  had 
flung  themselves  at  his  head  at  Blissington,  any  one  of 
whom  society  would  call  a  well-bred  lady  suitable  for 
him  to  marry  and  take  to  his  home ! 

And  then  he  thought  of  Kathcrine's  simple  dignity. 
She  had  not  tried  to  entrap  him.  She  had  not  been 
insulted  at  his  holding  back,  she  had  vmderstood.  In 
her  humility  of  greatness,  she  had  understood  what 
would  be  likely  to  be  his  view — or  rather  the  view  of  his 
class. 

But  now  he  saw  the  truth,  and  the  truth  was  that 
she  stood  out  a  star  among  womankind  and  none  other 
was  worthy  to  tie  the  latchct  of  her  shoe. 

He  would  not  hesitate  another  second.  He  would 
telephone  in  the  morning  to  Seraphim  and  propose  him- 
self for  Saturday,  and  then  he  should  see  her — this 
sweet  Katherine — and  talk  to  her  and  tell  her  the  truth. 
And  if  she  would  so  honour  him  then  she  should  be  his 
own. 

The  vision  exalted  him.  He  let  his  imagination, 
370 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

curbed  and  denied  expression  for  so  long,  have  full 
rein.  She  was  not  cold  by  nature,  she  would  not  have 
to  simulate  passion  like  Julia  Scarrisbrooke!  Hers,  if 
she  felt  it  at  all,  would  be  real.  She  had  experienced 
that  part  of  love  before.  He  even  thought  of  this  with- 
out a  pang,  for  that  was  past — and  something  told 
him  that  she  was  not  indifferent  to  him  now.  Ho\r 
enchanting  to  make  her  really  love  him — how  divine  to 
teach  her  all  the  shades  of  that  "something  beyond" 
which  she  had  asked  him  about! 

And  then  their  life  together  there  at  Valfreyne !  Yes, 
this  was  the  true  kind  of  strength  which  she  had  spoken 
of,  the  strength  which  breaks  down  all  shams. 

And  to  think  how  near  he  had  been  to  allowing  the 
stupid,  blind,  hypocritical  ideas  of  his  world  to  part 
them  forever!  He  must  have  been  mad,  since  he  had 
known  her  worth  always,  from  the  first  day.  Seraphim 
would  help  him  after  all — had  she  not  told  him  not  to 
go  against  his  conscience,  but  only  against  custom  and 
tradition  and  any  other  man-made  barrier?  And  now 
conscience  was  with  him,  and  he  would  break  every  bar 
which  divided  him  from  his  heart's  delight! 

Lady  Garribardine's  surprise  was  great  on  receiving 
the  telephone  message  in  the  morning:  Might  His  Grace 
speak  to  Her  Ladyship  personally.'' 

Katherine  repeated  the  message  of  the  servant. 

Certainly  His  Grace  might. 

Katherine  handed  the  receiver  and  was  preparing  to 
leave  the  room,  but  Lady  Garribardine  made  a  sign 
for  her  to  stay  while  she  sat  up  in  bed. 

"Is  that  you,  Mordryn — Oh  ! — Why,  of  course  you 
may  come  down  to-morrow!  Yes — London  is  hot.  It 
will  only  be  a  dull  party — Gwendoline  and  the  Colvins 
and  old  Tom  Hawthorne.     I  was  merely  going  for  rest 

371 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

myself.  You  don't  mind,  you  would  like  that? — Oh! 
very  well,  come  either  by  motor  or  the  three  o'clock 
train.     All  right — good-bye. 

Then  she  looked  at  Katherine  who  met  her  eyes  with 
a  perfectly  unmoved  face. 

"The  Duke  proposes  himself  to  come  to  us  to-mor- 
row at  Blissington,  he  is  bored  with  London,  and  out 
of  sorts." 

But  no  joy  appeared  on  the  secretary's  counte- 
nance; in  fact  she  turned  a  shade  paler,  as  she  asked 
if  she  should  transmit  any  orders  to  the  housekeeper 
about  his  room. 

"She  feels  things  like  the  devil,"  Her  Ladyship 
thought.  "But  Mordryn  has  evidently  come  to  his 
lenses,  so  they  will  presently  settle  the  matter  all 
right." 

Katherine  was  glad  that  her  duties  now  took  her  out 
shopping,  she  felt  she  must  be  in  the  open  air  and  free 
to  think. 

What  did  this  mean.''  Why  was  he  coming  to  Bliss- 
ington so  suddenly?  Would  it  produce  a  climax  in  her 
fate? 

And  as  Mordryn  had  done  the  night  before  on  his 
terrace  overlooking  the  Green  Park,  so  she  too  re- 
viewed all  their  acquaintance  and  what  it  had  grown 
to  mean  to  her — something  very  bitter  sweet. 

Should  she  allow  herself  a  fool's  paradise  for  just  a 
day?  Should  she  let  him  make  love  to  her,  if  that  was 
his  intention  in  coming  to  Blissington?  But  no,  she 
must  be  firm  with  herself  and  act  always  as  she  thought 
right.  But  her  mind  was  in  a  turmoil,  and  she  felt 
tired  and  excited.  The  picture  held  out  nothing  but 
pain. 

If  he  came  and  made  love  to  her,  she  would  have  to 
372 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

cut  his  protestations  short.  And  if  he  ignored  her, 
that  would  hurt  still  more.  She  devoutly  wished  she 
might  run  away. 

At  luncheon  the  next  day,  after  their  arrival  at 
Blissington,  Her  Ladyship  said  rather  irrelevantly: 

"You  look  thoroughly  tired  out,  girl.  I  advise  you 
to  take  a  rug  and  a  book  and  go  out  under  the  chestnut 
trees  in  the  beautiful  air,  and  have  a  nap — and  don't 
come  in  for  tea  if  you  do  not  want  to,  there  are  so  few 
of  us  I  can  manage  by  myself." 

And  Katherine,  glad  to  escape,  did  as  she  was  bid. 


CHAPTER    XXXn 

WHEN  the  Duke  arrived  by  motor,  tea  had  just 
been  brought  out  on  the  terrace  at  the  east- 
ern side  of  the  house.  His  glance  travelled 
rapidly  over  the  group.     Miss  Bush  was  not  present. 

His  impatience  had  been  growing  and  growing  ever 
since  the  Thursday  night  when  his  resolution  had  been 
taken,  and  now  he  almost  felt  like  a  boy  in  his  great 
disappointment  at  noting  Katherine's  absence. 

How  was  he  going  to  talk  to  the  Colvins  and  Tom 
Hawthorne  and  old  Gwendoline !  However,  he  did  man- 
age to  be  almost  his  usual  self,  though  Lady  Garri- 
bardine  was  quite  aware  that  his  nerves  were  strung 
to  a  high  tension. 

She  got  through  tea  as  quickly  as  possible,  and  then 
walked  him  off  to  see  a  new  set  of  herbaceous  bor- 
ders. 

The  very  second  that  they  were  alone,  Mordryn  be- 
gan to  talk  openly  to  her.  He  had  determined  to  have 
no  further  cross  purposes  of  any  kind. 

"Do  you  guess,  Seraphim,  what  has  brought  me 
here  to-day.'*"  he  asked. 

"I  have  some  shrewd  idea — you  have  decided  to  ap- 
preciate reality  and  discard  appearance,  as  my  Kath- 
erine  Bush  would  say." 

"That  is  it.     Have  I  your  sympathy,  dear  friend.'"* 

"My  warmest  sympathy,  Mordryn ;  your  happiness 
means  a  very  great  deal  to  me.  I  have  had  some  horri- 
ble moments  in  those  past  years,  of  remorse  for  my 

374 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

part  In  your  sorrows — but  if  you  secure  this  girl,  I 
can  feel  that  you  will  be  amply  compensated." 

*'I  am  deeply  in  love,  Seraphim,  and  you,  I  know, 
will  not  laugh  at  me,  or  think  it  absurd." 

She  gave  him  a  frank  smile  full  of  affection. 

"Indeed,  no — and  what  is  more  important,  the  gii4 
will  not  laugh  either.  She  is  full  of  passion,  Mordrjn 
- — have  you  ever  watched  her  little  nostrils  quiver?  You 
will  have  no  colourless  time  with  her!  She  is  not  of 
the  type  of  poor  Lao  Delemar,  Gerard's  friend,  or 
Julia  Scarrisbrooke !  The  fierce  red  blood  rushes 
through  her  veins ! — But  she  is  too  entirely  self-con- 
trolled to  let  even  me  see  what  her  real  feelings  are, 
though  I  shrewdly  suspect  she  is  in  love  with  you — ^You, 
the  man,  Mordrjm — and  not,  strange  to  say,  the  Duke- 
dom at  all !" 

His  Grace  thrilled  with  delight — as  why  not,  indeed! 
Of  all  beautiful  and  maligned  things,  he  knew  real  pas- 
sion was  the  rarest ! 

"If  it  had  been  the  Dukedom,  she  could  have  tanta- 
lized me  into  committing  any  madness — ^weeks  ago — 
but  she  has  done  nothing  of  the  sort.  She  has  simply 
understood,  that  is  the  wonderful  part." 

"She  is  an  amazing  creature,  a  wonderful  character, 
old  friend — perfectly  honest  and  intensely  proud.  Not 
with  the  pride  which  sticks  its  chin  in  the  air,  but  that 
which  carries  the  head  high;  there  is  all  the  difference 
in  the  world  between  the  two.  Upstarts  nearly  always 
have  their  chins  in  the  air,  but  are  unacquainted  with 
the  other  attitude.  She  will  make  the  most  perfect 
Duchess  your  house  has  ever  known — And  think  of  your 
children !" 

The  Duke  drew  in  his  breath  sharply,  a  new  joj  per- 
meated him  at  her  words — "Just  think  of  your  chil- 

375 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

dren!  Why,  my  dream  of  the  six  sturdy  boys  may 
yet  come  true !" 

**Seraphim — really !" 

Her  ladyship  chuckled  happily.  "Now  we  must  use 
common  sense ;  there  must  not  be  a  flaw  in  the  whole 
affair.  If  she  agrees  to  marry  you,  I  will  begin  to 
arrange  the  situation  at  once.  I  will  bring  her  out 
more  and  present  her  to  people — and  we  will  not  an- 
nounce the  engagement  for  a  few  weeks.  No  one  will 
dare  to  question  who  she  is,  or  where  she  came  from  if 
I  choose  to  do  that.  Some  of  them  may  even  suggest 
that  she  is  the  result  of  some  past  indiscretion  of  one 
of  the  family  that  I  have  adopted.  They  may  think 
what  they  like !  She  is  so  absolutely  honest,  she  would 
tell  anyone  the  truth  herself  without  a  care — but  I 
think  I  shall  advise  her  to  be  silent,  and  let  people  make 
up  what  they  please.  No  one  can  dispute  her  perfect 
refinement  or  suitability  to  take  any  position  in  the 
world." 

"Seraphim,  you  are  an  angel." 

"No,  I  am  not — I  am  merely  a  capable  craftsman. 
I  like  to  do  everything  I  undertake  well.  Your  Duchess 
shall  start  unliandicappcd." 

"How  deep  is  my  gratitude,  dear  friend.*" 

-Tut,  tut !" 

But  her  dark  eyes  beamed  mistily.  "When  I  see  you 
safely  off — with  the  knot  tied,  on  your  way  to  Val- 
frcyne  for  the  honeymoon — I  shall  feel  content." 

"Where  is  she?" 

"I  told  her  to  go  and  rest  under  the  chestnuts  this 
afternoon.     She  looked  as  pale  as  a  ghost." 

"May  I  find  her  there,  then,  now?" 

•*Yes — be  off !     And  bless  you !" 

They  wrung  hands,  and  the  Duke  strode  away  look- 
376 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

ing,  as  Her  Ladyship  admitted,  with  a  fond  half-sigh, 
still  the  hero  of  any  woman's  dream.  His  years  tat  »o 
lightly  upon  him. 

But  he  searched  under  the  chestnuts  and  beyond,  and 
Kathcrine  was  nowhere  to  be  seen.  A  rug  was  folded 
beneath  one  great  trunk — she  had  evidently  been  there, 
and  had  now  wandered  on  and  perhaps  was  not  far  off. 

He  continued  his  search  for  some  time  without  suc- 
cess, and  when  he  reached  the  edge  of  the  near  woods, 
with  their  beautiful  paths,  some  of  which  ran  down  to 
a  bit  of  ornamental  water  just  big  enough  to  be  called 
a  lake,  he  stopped,  puzzled  as  to  which  one  to  follow. 
His  heart  was  beating  as  it  had  not  beat  for  years. 
He  decided  to  go  straight  to  the  water's  edge  to  a  Chi- 
nese tea-house  which  was  there,  and  when  he  came  at 
length  in  sight  of  this,  he  perceived  the  flutter  of  a 
grey  linen  skirt  disappearing  round  the  corner  of  it — 
On  the  verandah  which  overhung  the  water,  there  were 
great  white  water  lilies  growing  in  masses  just  beneath, 
while  two  stately  swans  swam  about  in  the  distance; 
the  sun  was  sinking,  it  was  past  six  o'clock;  and  the 
lights  were  very  lovely  and  all  was  serene  and  still. 

His  footfalls  did  not  sound  on  the  soft  turf,  and 
Katherine  did  not  know  of  his  approach  until  he  ac- 
tually stood  before  her  on  the  broad  verandah  step. 

She  was  leaning  against  the  balustrade  gazing  out 
over  the  lake,  and  she  turned  and  caught  sight  of  him. 

He  came  forward  with  outstretched  hands,  his  face 
aglow. 

"So  I  have  found  you  at  last !"  he  cried,  gladly. 
"What  made  you  hide  away  here  all  alone?" 

Katherine  controlled  herself  sternly.  She  shook 
hands  calmly,  saying  it  was  cool  by  the  water  and  a 
pleasant  place  to  be. 

377 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

"Solitude  is  good  sometimes." 

She  had  felt  too  restless  to  stay  beneath  the  trees — 
even  her  will  could  not  keep  her  disturbed  thoughts 
from  speculation  as  to  what  the  day  might  bring.  And 
now  the  Duke  was  here  beside  her,  and  the  situation 
must  be  faced. 

He  came  close  and  leaned  upon  the  quaint  wooden 
rails  trying  to  look  down  into  her  averted  face,  while 
he  whispered: 

*'I  had  rather  enjoy  a  solitude  a  deux." 

He  saw  that  she  was  pale  and  that  her  manner  was 
restrained.  Did  she  possibly  misunderstand  the  pur- 
pose of  his  coming? 

"Look,"  and  she  pointed  over  to  the  swans — "they 
perhaps  agree  with  you — they  swim  lazily  about  to- 
gether, dignified  and  composed,  far  from  turmoil  and 
agitating  currents.  One  envies  the  birds  and  beasts 
and  fishes — sometimes,"  and  she  sighed. 

"You  must  not  sigh — look  at  me,  Katherlne.  I  want 
to  see  your  eyes." 

But  she  disobeyed  him  and  turned  the  broad  lids 
down.  He  leaned  closer  still,  and  this  caused  a  wave 
of  emotion  to  sweep  over  her,  producing  the  same  feel- 
ing which  she  had  once  thought  only  Lord  Algy  in  all 
the  world  could  evoke  in  her — so  that  the  Duke  saw 
those  little  nostrils  quiver,  which  his  friend  Seraphim 
had  spoken  to  him  about,  and  the  sight  gave  him  great 

joy. 

"Look  at  me,  Katherine !"  and  now  his  voice  was  full 
of  command. 

Then  she  slowly  raised  her  gray-green  eyes  and  he 
saw  that  they  were  troubled,  in  spite  of  the  passion 
that  lay  in  their  depths. 

"Why  do  you  come  here  and  speak  to  me  like  this?" 
378 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 


and  in  her  voice  there  was  reproach.  "We  said  fare- 
well at  Valfreyne — that  was  the  end — I  understood — 
Why  do  you  come  again  to  trouble  me  now?" 

"Because  I  could  not  keep  away — because  I  love  you, 
darling  child." 

She  drew  back,  shivering  with  the  pain  of  the  strug- 
gle which  was  developing  in  her  soul. 

"Hush,  you  must  not  say  that  to  me,  I  ask  you  not 
to,  please." 

But  since  coldness  and  repulsion  were  not  what  he 
read  in  her  glance,  her  words  did  not  discourage  him. 

"I  was  very  foolish  at  Valfreyne,  Katherine,  ever  to 
have  said  farewell,  but  now  I  have  come  here  to  Bliss- 
ington  to  tell  you  that  I  love  you  passionately,  my 
darling,  and  your  dear  sympathy  and  understanding 
saw  into  my  mind,  and  grasped  the  prejudices  therein. 
But  now  the  blindness  has  fallen  from  my  eyes — I  adore 
you,  my  Beloved  One — Katherine,  I  want  you  to  be  my 
wife." 

His  voice  had  never  been  more  beautiful.  His  splen- 
did presence  had  never  appeared  more  impressive,  nor 
the  fascination  of  the  man  more  supreme.  And  he  was 
there,  a  suppliant  before  her  asking  her  to  be  his 
wife! 

For  a  few  seconds  her  brain  reeled.  The  summit 
of  her  ambition  was  reached — and  not  ambition  alone, 
but  what  now  seemed  to  matter  more,  the  realisation  of 
true  love.  Both  were  there  for  her  to  take  and  to 
enjoy.  The  fateful  moment  had  come.  She  was  face 
to  face  with  the  great  problem  of  her  life.  How  could 
she  relinquish  all  this  glory,  just  to  keep  faith  with  her 
ideal  of  right.'' 

She  looked  up  into  his  proud  face  and  saw  it  trans- 
figured with  worship,  and  she  gave  a  little  cry — No, 

379 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

slie  could  never  deceive  him,  he  was  far  too  fine  for 
that.  Whatever  came,  between  them  there  should  be 
only  truth.  But  even  so,  a  flood  of  passionate  emotion 
burst  all  bonds,  the  whole  deep  currents  of  her  nature 
were  stirred,  and  must  find  vent  before  the  final  re- 
nunciation. 

"Ah!"  she  cried,  and  let  herself  be  clasped  in  his 
embrace,  then,  "I  love  you,  I  love  you!"  she  went  on 
wildly. — "Kiss  me — hold  me,  let  me  feel  what  it  is  like 
to  be  there  next  your  heart — what  it  would  mean — 
what  it  cotdd  mean,  if  it  might  only  be. — Oh!  you  do 
not  know  what  it  costs  really  to  say  good-bye — ^Do 
you  remember  once  when  I  told  you  that  I  knew  one 
side  of  love  and  asked  you  if  there  was  not  something 
beyond.'*  Well,  I  know  now  that  there  is — you  have 
taught  me  to  feel  it — It  is  the  soul's  victory — I  love 
you  with  everything  in  me,  with  my  body  and  my  spirit 
and  my  life!" 

But  she  could  articulate  no  further,  for  the  Duke, 
intoxicated  with  emotion,  strained  her  to  his  heart, 
bruising  her  lips  with  kisses  which  seemed  to  transport 
them  both  to  paradise. 

Here  was  no  timid  lover !  But  one  with  a  nature  as 
fiercely  passionate  as  her  own! 

"Ah,  God,  how  divine!"  and  he  sighed  when  at  last 
after  long,  blissful  seconds  his  lips  left  hers.  "Kath- 
erine,  how  dare  you  talk  such  folly  to  me  of  bidding  me 
good-bye!  You  shall  never  leave  me  again,  you  are 
absolutely  mine." 

"Hush!"  and  she  put  her  hand  over  his  mouth  ten- 
derly, while  she  drew  herself  out  of  his  arms.  "As  far 
as  love  goes  I  am  indeed  all  yours,  the  mightiness  of 
this  passion  has  swept  away  all  other  thoughts,  but 
now  you  will  have  to  listen  to  me — and  you  must  not 

380 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

speak  until  tlie  end. — See,  let  us  sit  here  for  the  story  is 
long." 

Just  to  humour  her  he  allowed  her  to  draw  him  to 
the  seat,  and  with  eyes  devouring  her  with  fond  impa- 
tience, he  waited  for  her  to  begin. 

"Promise  that  you  will  not  interrupt  me  until  I  have 
finished,  no  matter  what  you  may  feel  or  think." 

He  gave  his  word  quite  gaily  and  took  and  held  her 
hand. 

Katherine  controlled  her  every  nerve  now  and  told 
the  story  in  a  deep,  quiet  voice — with  no  dramatic  ges- 
tures, drawing  a  graphic  picture  of  her  home  and  of 
the  office  at  Liv  and  Dev's  and  the  effect  upon  her  of 
the  voices  of  the  gentlemen  who  came  to  borrow  money. 
And  then  she  told  of  the  coming  of  Lord  Algy  and  of 
their  acquaintance,  and  then  she  paused  for  a  second 
and  glanced  at  Mordryn's  face.  It  had  grown  a  little 
strained,  but  he  grasped  more  tightly  her  hand. 

"Now  you  must  listen  very  carefully  and  try  to 
understand.  I  suppose  I  must  have  been  in  love  with 
him  in  a  passionate  kind  of  way,  ho  was  so  very  hand- 
some and  gay  and  full  of  charm — Well,  I  decided  to  go 
away  with  him  for  three  days — I  decided  deliberately, 
not  so  much  from  love  as  because  I  wanted  to  under- 
stand life,  and  to  know  the  nature  of  men,  and  the 
point  of  view  of  an  aristocrat." 

The  Duke's  face  became  ashen  white  and  his  hand 
turned  icy  cold,  but  he  did  not  speak.  So  with  a  little 
break  in  her  voice,  Katherine  went  on: 

" — Well,  we  went  to  Paris  on  the  Saturday  and  came 
back  on  the  Monday  night ;  by  that  time  I  knew  all  the 
passionate  side  of  love;  he  aroused  all  those  instincts  in 
me  which  I  once  told  you  about — but  he  never  touched 
my  soul — that   slept  until  you  came. — I  never  meant 

381 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

to  stay  with  him  or  remain  his  mistress ;  it  was  for 
experience,  and  that  was  all — and  we  parted  at  Char- 
ing Cross  Station,  and  he  went  to  Wales  to  his  family 
to  shoot,  and  I  went  home.  I  wrote  to  him  and  told 
him  that  I  would  not  see  him  again.  Then  I  made  up 
my  mind  that  I  would  leave  Livingstone  &  Devereux's, 
and  begin  my  next  rise  in  the  world.  Oh!  you  do  not 
know  how  ignorant  I  was  then !  But  I  never  lost  sight 
of  the  goal  I  meant  to  win,  to  win  by  knowing  how  to 
fill  the  position  desired.  I  had  vast  dreams  even  in 
those  early  days.  I  was  fortunate  to  obtain  the  sit- 
uation of  Lady  Garribardine's  secretary,  and  on  leav- 
ing the  house  after  being  engaged,  I  met  Lord  Algy 
by  chance  in  the  park.  He  was  very  much  upset  and 
unhappy  at  my  determination  never  to  see  him  again 
— and  he  asked  me  to  marry  him.  I  refused,  of  course, 
because  I  knew  even  then  that  he  only  attracted  one 
side  of  me,  and  also  I  was  not  educated  enough  at  that 
time  to  have  been  able  to  carry  off  the  position  with 
success.  I  explained  everything  to  him,  and  made  him 
promise  to  try  and  be  a  fine  soldier — he  was  being  sent 
to  Egypt  for  his  extravagance,  and  so  we  parted,  and 
I  have  never  spoken  to  him  since.  My  goal  now  was 
definitely  fixed ;  I  meant  to  educate  myself  to  be  able 
to  take  the  highest  position  to  be  obtained  in  England 
some  day.  I  used  to  long  for  Algy  sometimes,  but  only 
every  now  and  then,  when  some  scent  or  sound  brought 
him  back  to  me ;  that  is  why  I  said  such  love  is  unbal- 
anced and  animal — the  memory  of  it  is  always  aroused 
by  something  of  the  senses.  Then,  after  I  went  to  Lady 
Garribardine,  ]\Ir.  Strobridge  came  upon  the  scene, 
and  his  great  cultivation  inspired  me,  and  presently 
we  became  friends.  I  deliberately  encouraged  his  friend- 
ship so  as  to  polish  my  own  brain.     I  knew  he  was  in 

382 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 


love  with  me,  so  this  may  have  been  wrong,  but  since 
he  was  weak  enough  to  allow  himself  to  feel  in  that  way 
for  me  knowing  he  was  married,  he  must  pay  the  price 
in  pain,  not  I.  He  has  always  been  a  loyal  friend  after 
the  beginning,  when  he  lost  his  head  one  night  and  made 
a  great  scene.  My  determination  never  wavered;  it 
was  in  every  way  to  improve  myself,  always  to  be  per- 
fectly true  and  finally  to  obtain  the  height  of  my  ambi- 
tion. Things  went  on  in  this  way  for  a  year  and  a  half. 
Lady  Garribardine  always  helping  me  and  encouraging 
my  education  until  we  became  deep  and  intimate 
friends.  But  the  goal  never  seemed  to  come  in  view 
until  I  went  to  the  House  of  Lords  that  day  and  saw 
you  and  heard  you  speak.  In  a  lightning  flash  the  ob- 
ject of  all  my  striving  seemed  revealed  to  me,  and  I 
began  to  lay  my  plans,  but  with  some  unusual  excite- 
ment, because  something  in  you  had  aroused  an  emotion 
in  my  heart,  the  meaning  of  which  I  could  not  then 
determine.  That  night  I  went  to  the  theatre  with  my 
sister  and  there  saw  in  the  stalls  Lord  Algy,  returned 
from  Egypt,  I  suppose,  on  leave.  The  sight  of  him 
moved  me,  I  felt  cold  and  sick,  but  I  realised  once  for 
all  that  my  feeling  for  him  had  been  only  physical,  and 
was  passing  away. 

"I  had  arranged  with  Mr.  Strobridge  to  have  the 
dinner,  and  to  let  me  meet  you,  not  as  the  secretary, 
because  I  knew  that  your  unconscious  prejudice  would 
be  insurmountable  then.  And  I  thought  that  if  you 
liked  me  that  night,  afterwards  the  prejudice  might  not 
be  so  deep  when  you  did  know  my  real  position. — You 
will  remember  what  followed,  but  the  second  part  of 
the  story  begins  with  the  afternoon  you  came  into  the 
schoolroom.  Until  then  I  had  never  had  a  backward 
thought  or  regret  or  worry  about  Lord  Algy.     I  was 

383 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

onlj  glad  to  have  had  the  experience,  that  was  aU.  But 
after  I  had  told  you  of  my  life  and  parentage,  you 
bent  down  and  kissed  my  hand.  And  from  that  moment 
doubts  began  to  trouble  me.  You  had  started  the  awak- 
ening of  my  soul.  And  as  love  grew  and  grew,  so  the 
blackness  of  the  shadow  increased.  I  knew  that  if  I  de- 
ceived you  I  should  only  draw  unhappiness  and  never 
respect  myself.  Where  love  is  there  can  be  no  deceit 
■ — and  so  at  last  even  before  I  went  to  Valfreyne  I  put 
all  thoughts  of  you  from  me.  Although  each  day  you 
seemed  to  grow  more  dear — until  I  knew  that  you 
meant  everything  to  me  and  were  my  wild  and  pas- 
sionate desire. — I  saw  that  my  position  in  life  held  you 
back,  and  I  was  almost  glad  that  it  should  be  so — 
because  I  knew  that  if  you  should  really  love  me,  and 
conquer  your  prejudice  against  my  class,  it  would 
come  to  this,  that  I  must  tell  you  the  truth  and  that  it 
would  part  us  forever.  And  I  have  tried  to  prevent 
you  from  telling  me  of  your  love,  I  have  tried  to  re- 
strain my  own  for  you,  but  now  I  am  left  defenceless 
— I  love  you,  but  I  reahse  that  what  I  did  in  the  past 
the  world  could  never  forgive,  and  so  I  must  pay  the 
price  of  my  own  action,  and  say  an  eternal  farewell." 

Her  voice  died  away  in  a  sob,  and  she  did  not  then 
look  at  the  Duke's  face;  his  hand  had  grown  nerveless 
in  its  clasp  and  she  drew  hers  away  from  him,  and  rose 
slowly  to  her  feet.  The  awful  moment  was  over,  the 
story  was  done — she  had  been  true  to  herself  and  had 
lost  her  love — and  now  she  must  have  courage  to  be- 
have with  dignity  and  go  back  to  the  house. 

But  she  must  just  look  at  him  once  more,  her  dearly 
loved  one!  He  sat  there  in  an  attitude  of  utter  dejec- 
tion, his  face  buried  in  his  hands. — For  long  aching 
moments  Katherine  watched  him,  but  she  did  not  speak 

384 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

and  life  and  hope  and  purpose  died  out  of  her,  drowned 
in  overwhehning  grief. 

Then  after  this  horrible  silence  the  blood  seemed  to 
creep  back  to  the  Duke's  heart,  and  reaction  set  in. 
He  began  gradually  to  think.  His  level  judgment,  his 
faculty  for  analyzing  things,  reasserted  themselves,  and 
enabled  him  to  view  the  whole  subject  in  right  perspec- 
tive, and  a  re-awakening  to  happiness  slowly  filled  him. 

He  looked  up  to  Katherine  at  last  as  she  stood  there 
leaning  against  a  pillar  of  the  balustrade,  and  he  read 
no  humiliation  or  shame  or  contrition  in  her  great  eyes, 
but  only  a  deep  sorrow  and  tenderness  and  love. 

And  suddenly  he  realised  the  splendour  of  her  cour- 
age, the  glorious  force  of  character  which  had  enabled 
her  to  jeopardize — nay,  indeed,  relinquish,  love  and 
high  estate  and  ambition,  rather  than  be  false  to  her- 
self. 

For  she  need  not  have  told  him  anything  of  her  story. 
That  fact  was  the  great  proof  of  her  truth.  He  had 
asked  no  questions  about  her  past.  She  had  made  no 
dramatic  virtue  of  necessity,  she  had  done  this  tiling 
that  she  might  not  soil  her  own  soul  with  deceit. 

Of  what  matter  was  a  paltry  venial  sin !  If  sin  it 
were,  the  shame  of  which  lay  wholly  in  a  too  rigid  con- 
vention— of  what  matter  to  him  were  three  days  in 
the  past,  long  before  they  had  met !  That  she  was  alto- 
gether his  now  in  body  and  soul  he  had  no  faintest 
doubt.  Was  there  any  man  living  such  a  fool  or  puri- 
tan that  he  would  renounce  life's  joy  for  such  a  foolish 
thing!  The  very  qualities  of  courage  and  justice  which 
her  action  in  telling  him  had  shown,  would  wipe  out 
any  sin  and  give  him  ample  guaranties  for  future  se- 
curity and  peace.  Such  a  woman  was  worth  all  the 
world!     And  ridiculous  puny  conventions  were  of  no 

385. 


THE  CAFEER  OF  KATHEEINE  BUSH 

account.  Did  he  dream  of  looking  upon  Seraphim  as 
degraded  because  she  had  been  his  love  long  ago,  and 
not  his  wife?  Of  course  not!  Then  why  should  he  feel 
scorn  for  Katherine  who  had  not  even  betrayed  a  hus- 
band, but  had  been  free?  Scorn  was  for  such  women 
as  Julia  Scarrisbrooke — creatures  who  simulated  pas- 
sion for  one  man  after  another,  merely  as  a  game — 
people  who  held  love  cheaply  and  who  knew  not  even 
the  glimmerings  of  obligation  to  their  own  souls. 

Away  with  all  shams  of  the  world!  None  of  them 
should  influence  him!  He  had  found  a  spirit  strong 
and  free  and  honest.  Reahty  had  won  forever,  and 
appearance  had  vanished  away. 

So  he  rose  and  came  to  her  again  and  once  more  took 
her  into  his  arms,  and  bending  kissed  her  white  fore- 
head as  if  in  blessing. 

"Oh!  my  Beloved — ^And  you  deemed  that  this  would 
part  us,  this  long-past  ugly  thing!  Foolish  one! — 
You  do  not  know  how  much  I  love  you!  Far  beyond 
any  of  the  earthly  things.  Darling,  I  honour  your 
brave  courage.  I  worship  your  truth.  You  shall  come 
to  me  and  be  my  adored  wife,  and  the  mistress  of  my 
home.  Katherine,  heart  of  me,  whisper  that  all  sor- 
rows are  over,  and  let  us  enter  heaven  together  and 
forget  all  else." 

But  Katherine,  overwrought  with  emotion,  lay  there 
against  his  breast,  limp  and  white.  She  was  beyond 
speech,  only  her  spirit  cried  out  in  thankfulness  to 
God  for  having  given  her  the  strength  to  tell  the  truth. 

Joys  kills  not — and  soon  under  her  lover's  fond 
caresses,  warm  life  rushed  back  to  her.  And  thus  in 
the  evening  glory  of  sunset  they  found  content. 

For  the  one  sublime  thing  in  this  sad,  mad  world  is 
LOVE. 

386 


CHAPTER    XXXIII 

IT  was  more  than  a  month  since,  in  the  late  July  of 
1914,  the  joy  bells  had  rung  out  on  all  the  Duke's 
estates  for  the  birth  of  the  heir,  the  infant  Mar- 
quis of  Valfreyne.  And  it  was  just  a  year  since  Kath- 
erine  had  become  his  Duchess ! 

And  what  a  year  in  a  woman's  life ! 

Days  and  weeks  and  months  of  happiness,  of  ever- 
increasing  understanding  and  companionship,  with  one 
whose  every  action  and  thought  inspired  respect  and 
love. 

The  bond  between  the  two  had  grown  always  more 
iieep,  more  sacred,  as  the  days  went  on,  and  as  Kath- 
arine said  one  morning  fondly: 

"Mordryn,  we  are  just  like  Rochester  and  Jane  Eyre, 
not  modern  people,  because  we  never  want  to  be  away 
from  one  another  for  a  minute — only,  thank  God,  you 
are  not  blind." 

Theirs  was  a  real  marriage,  and  Lady  Garribardine 
was  fully  content.  She  took  personal  pride  in  the  man- 
ner in  which  her  protege  fulfilled  the  role  of  Duchess, 
and  she  rejoiced  to  see  her  old  love  in  the  midst  of  such 
bliss. 

For  their  union  was  divine  and  complete,  and  the 
coming  of  the  baby  Valfreyne  had  been  the  crowning 

joy. 

It  was  a  continual  source  of  delight  to  the  Duke  to 
watch  Katherine,  and  to  know  how  absolutely  his  be- 
lief in  her  had  been  justified.     To  watch  and  to  note 

38T 


THE  CABEER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

with  what  supreme  dignity  she  carried  out  the  duties  of 
his  great  state.  And  as  each  occasion  came  when  some 
special  effort  was  required,  after  it  was  over  she  would 
rush  into  his  arms,  and  caress  him,  and  ask  to  be  petted, 
and  told  that  he  was  satisfied,  and  that  his  beggar 
Duchess  had  pleased  him  and  done  all  that  he  would 
wish! 

The  year  of  perfect  happiness  and  gratified  ambition 
had  moulded  Katherine  into  a  new  and  noble  being,  in 
whom  graciousncss  and  sweetness  and  gentleness  en- 
hanced all  her  old  charms. 

She  continued  to  make  Lady  Garribardine  her  model 
for  everything. 

The  world  had  experienced  a  nine  days'  wonder 
when  the  engagement  was  announced;  but,  as  Her 
Ladyship  said,  there  was  no  use  in  having  kept  her 
iron  heel  upon  the  neck  of  society  for  all  these  years, 
if  she  could  not  now  impose  upon  it  unquestioned  what 
she  wished.  So  Katherine  had  had  a  triumphant  entry, 
and  very  little  antagonism  to  surmount.  She  paid  visits 
to  all  the  Duke's  relatives  under  Lady  Garribardine's 
wing,  and  her  own  tact  and  serene  dignity  had  con- 
quered them  all,  and  turned  them  into  friends. 

"She  is  of  no  particular  birth,"  Her  Ladyship  was 
wont  to  say,  "but  /  know  who  she  is,  so  you  need  none 
of  you  trouble  yourselves  about  it.  I  will  be  answer- 
able for  her  fitness  for  the  post." 

Thus  the  most  romantic  and  fantastic  rumours  got 
about,  and  Lady  Garribardine  wrote  amusedly  to 
Gerard  in  Russia,  after  the  wedding  in  September,  giv- 
ing a  description  of  events : 

I  issued  stern  commands  to  Bronson,  G.,  that  there 
should  be  no  talk  below  stairs,  no  gratifying  of  anybody's 

388 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

curiosity,  and  I  think  I  can  count  upon  their  devotion  to 
me,  and  their  great  liking  for  the  girl  herself,  to  feel  that 
they  will  cooperate.  Her  family  were  the  entertaining 
thing.  The  sisters  from  America  wrote  sensible  letters, 
realising  that  the  great  divide  had  come,  and  fortunately 
tlie  Bindon's  Green  remainder  had  themselves  cut  her  off 
from  their  intimacy,  because  she  was  what  they  called  a 
"paid  servant,"  "living  in,"  apparently  a  degraded  status 
in  that  incredible  class !  Mordryn  received  a  letter  from 
her  sister-in-law  a  few  days  after  the  news  was  in  the 
papers,  a  most  remarkable  bit  of  feminine  spite,  which 
caused  us  all  glee:  informing  him  that  as  he  had  no  doubt 
been  sadly  deceived  by  Katherine  Bush,  she  felt  it  her 
duty  to  enlighten  him  as  to  who  she  really  was !  Great 
stress  was  laid  upon  the  butcher  grandfather,  and  regrets 
that  she  herself  had  contracted  an  alliance  so  far  beneath 
her  station,  but  having  experienced  the  unpleasantness  of 
it,  she  felt  it  was  only  right  to  warn  the  Duke ! 

I  myself  wrote  the  reply  as  though  I  had  been  his  sec- 
retary, announcing  that  His  Grace  was  in  possession  of 
all  these  facts  and  more  from  Miss  Bush  herself,  and 
with  due  appreciation  for  the  motive  which  had  caused 
the  letter  to  be  written,  the  Duke  thanked  her  for  it  and 
would  not  require  to  hear   from  her  again ! 

So  all  that  part  is  disposed  of  fortunately,  and  Kather- 
ine can  go  ahead. 

Mordryn  is  frantically  in  love  and  so  is  she.  Mordryn 
is  like  a  boy  and  looks  ten  years  younger.  He  showers 
gifts  upon  her,  and  on  the  day  of  the  wedding,  when  he 
walked  down  the  aisle  with  his  beautiful  new  Duchess  on 
his  arm,  I  never  have  seen  a  man  so  proud.  And  when 
one  comes  to  think  of  it,  G.,  he  has  every  right  to  be,  for 
I  must  say  the  creature  carries  out  the  whole  thing  with 
a  perfection  which  justifies  my  greatest  expectations  of 
her,  and  I  think  they  stand  a  very  fair  chance  of  happi- 
ness, because  the  girl  has  a  logical  brain.  She  is  not 
one  of  those  fools  who  only  like  the  excitement  of  a 
thing's  being  out  of  reach;  she  has  the  supreme  wisdom 
of  a  sense  of  intrinsic  values.  She  realises  that  she  has 
secured  a  great  position  which  will  give  ample  scope  for 
her  vastest  schemes — all  higli  and  fine  ones,  G. ;  we  shall 

389 


THE  CABEER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 


hear  of  her  in  the  future,  boy,  not  only  as  a  beautiful 
Duchess,  but  as  a  great  Englishwoman.  And  when  one 
reflects  that  she  has  accomplished  all  this,  won  her  game, 
so  to  speak,  through  sheer  force  of  character,  sheer  knowl- 
edge of  cause  and  effect,  sheer  calculation  of  action  and 
no  low  scheming,  one  cannot  but  deeply  respect  her.  Force 
will  always  win,  but  it  will  bring  its  own  retribution  if  it 
has  been  used  ill.  Katherine  has  had  the  great  cleverness 
to  use  it  always  well.  Weak  virtue  may  draw  some  kind  of 
namby-pamby  heavenly  halo,  but  perfect  honesty  and 
strong  common  sense  secure  power  and  a  substantial  re- 
ward on  earth !  It  will  be  very  interesting  to  watch  her 
career  as  it  goes  on.  She  is  grateful  for  her  happiness  and 
knows  that  it  is  only  weaklings  who,  once  having  secured 
this  joy,  then  let  it  be  taken  from  them  by  their  own  fool- 
ishness and  discontent.  Her  whole  mind  is  disciplined  and 
ruled  by  an  astonishingly  sound  judgment.  Impulse  is  her 
serv^ant,  not  her  master;  every  view  is  broad.  She  sees  all 
things  as  they  really  are  without  the  illusion  which  nearly 
every  woman  invests  them  with.  And,  above  all,  she  under- 
stands Mordryn,  G. — and  with  all  her  balance  and  level- 
headedness, she  is  as  passionate  and  vital  and  living  as  a 
woman  can  be,  and  that  is  the  one  kind  of  being  who  keeps 
a  man  with  his  temperament  forever  content.  After  his 
life  of  restraint  and  abstinence  and  solitary  grief,  to  have 
such  a  creature  for  a  companion  must  be  no  mean  delight. 
So  altogether,  G.,  my  dear  boy,  I  am  satisfied.  As  for  his 
age,  he  does  not  look  a  day  more  than  forty ;  they  probably 
will  have  a  glorious  fifteen  years,  and  you  cannot  have 
everything  in  life.  He  suits  her  far  better  than  some 
younger  man,  they  are  made  for  one  another.  Mordryn 
has  perfect  health  and  strength,  and  no  human  being  could 
be  more  attractive.  You  have  not  a  notion  of  his  ways  as 
a  lover,  G. !  He  would  be  a  lesson  to  any  of  these  uncouth, 
cold-blooded,  barley-water  drinking  modern  young  men ! 

Our  Duchess  is  a  fortunate  creature,  I  assure  you,  in 
more  ways  than  one !  So  we  need  not  trouble  about  that 
or  make  unto  ourselves  a  picture  of  a  young  woman  and 
an  elderly  man !  They  are  like  a  pair  of  love  birds — and 
they  will  probably  have  that  sturdy  heir  at  once  that  I  have 
always  longed  for,  and  then  I  can  rest  in  peace. 

390 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

And  when  Gerard  read  this  at  Moscow,  where  he 
happened  to  be,  he  was  glad,  and  yet  sad. 

The  wedded  lovers  wandered  for  several  months  in 
France  and  Italy,  returning  to  England  only  in  the 
new  year,  and  all  this  interesting  foreign  travel  ex- 
panded still  further  Katherine's  mental  gifts.  Then 
after  some  triumphant  weeks  in  London,  there  were 
long  months  of  joy  at  Valfreyne,  awaiting  the  coming 
of  the  son  and  heir. 

And  now  in  the  early  days  of  September,  1914,  they 
were  all  again  assembled  there  with  Lady  Garribardine 
for  the  christening — a  great  and  important  event ! 

But  war  and  strain  and  sorrow  lay  with  that  black 
shadow  over  England,  fallen  with  a  suddenness  which 
no  one  could  reahse  as  yet.  Rumours  of  reverses  had 
come — miscalculation  of  somebody's  plans.  And 
anxiety  was  tense. 

Katherine  was  resting  on  the  sofa  in  her  boudoir, 
which  looked  out  south  over  the  exquisite  gardens  in 
the  state  suite  at  Valfreyne — the  suite  of  her  who  should 
be  reigning  Duchess,  in  which  she  had  wandered  with 
the  Duke  on  that  Monday  in  Whitsuntide,  when  they 
had  said  their  futile  farewell !  And  now  it  was  her  own  ! 
And  in  an  hour,  they  would  go  into  the  chapel  and  the 
splendid  chubby  baby  heir  would  receive  his  many 
names. 

Katherine  felt  very  well  and  in  herself  supremely 
happy,  in  spite  of  the  clouds  over  England.  How  good 
providence  had  been  to  her!  How  grateful  her  spirit 
felt! 

She  lay  there  in  a  peaceful  dream,  her  half  closed 
eyes  taking  in  the  wonderful  beauty  of  the  room,  with 
its  late  seventeenth  century  magnificence  and  yet 
subtle  touches  of  home. 

391 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BUSH 

Then  tlie  door  opened,  and  the  Duke  came  in  with 
letters  for  her  from  the  second  post,  and  the  opened 
Times  he  had  been  reading  in  his  hand — He  put  them 
down  upon  a  table  near,  and  took  a  low  chair  close  to 
his  lady's  side,  and  she  moved  a  little  from  the  sofa  so 
that  she  lay  half  in  his  arms. 

"My  worshipped  one !"  he  murmured  fondly,  kissing 
her  hair,  and  smoothing  it  with  infinite  tenderness. 

"Oh!  Mordryn,  I  am  so  happy — are  not  you?  What 
a  subhme  day  for  us,  dear  Love!  Just  to  think  that 
we  have  that  darling  little  son,  the  very  essence  of  us 
both !  Tell  me  that  he  and  I  mean  everything  to  you. 
Tell  me  that  I  have  given  you  all  you  want?" 

He  reassured  her  with  passionate  insistence,  as 
though  he  could  not  say  enough,  and  then  he  asked 
her  again  and  again  if  she  loved  him.  It  was  as  if  he 
must  have  confirmation  of  her  passion  for  him,  and 
her  consent. 

And  Katherine  played  with  him  fondly  as  was  her 
wont,  being  altogether  fascinating  and  full  of  foolish, 
tender  love  tricks,  which  never  failed  to  intoxicate  his 
senses. 

But  soon  he  held  her  closely  to  him,  some  shadow 
in  his  eyes — and  with  his  free  arm  he  reached  over  to 
the  table  and  picked  up  the  Times. 

Then  he  spoke,  and  his  wonderful  voice  sounded  a 
little  strained : 

"My  darling,  there  is  some  news  in  the  paper  this 
morning,  which  may  cause  you  some  concern — so  I 
have  brought  ito  you  here  while  we  are  alone.  It  is 
about  the  retreat  from  Mons." 

Katherine  raised  herself  and  looked  at  him  enquir- 
ingly, and  he  found  the  column  and  began  to  read  the 
glorious  story,  and  of  one  supremely  splendid  stand 

392 


THE  CAREER  OF  KATHERINE  BlfSH 

made  by  a  certain  Guards  regiment,  which  is  now  world- 
famed. 

Then  he  paused  and  hesitated  for  a  moment.  For 
the  name  of  the  bravest  who  would  gain  the  V.  C.  was 
Lord  Algernon  Fitz-Rufus  who,  single-handed,  had 
■  performed  an  act  of  daring  courage,  resourcefulness 
and  self-sacrifice,  which  had  saved  his  men,  but  who 
had  paid  with  his  life  for  his  last  supreme  effort,  being 
shot  through  the  heart  as  he  had  returned  to  a  wounded 
comrade.  Lieutenant  Jack  Kilcourcy,  to  bring  him  in 
to  safety  from  that  bloody  corpse-strewn  wood. 

"What  is  it,  Mordryn? — Please  go  on." 

So  the  Duke  read  to  the  end,  and  then  put  the  paper 
down. 

And  suddenly  Katherine's  heart  seemed  to  stand 
still,  and  a  mist  darkened  the  room,  and  when  it  lifted 
she  saw  only  the  young  debonnaire  face  of  her  once  dear 
lover  gazing  at  her  again,  her  gay  blue  eyes  alight  with 
laughter  and  love.  And  with  a  stifled  cry,  she  buried 
her  head  on  the  Duke's  shoulder  and  burst  into  tears. 

Thus  Algy  had  fulfilled  her  hopes  for  him  and  be- 
come a  fine  soldier,  and  had  died  gallantly  to  save  a 
comrade — ^A  hero  indeed ! 


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